--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was safer, he thought, to keep it to…" description: "\"“It was safer, he thought, to keep it to himself; because there are many ways of loving.”\" — Alexander McCall Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/alexander-mccall-smith-372_loving_it-was-safer-he-thought-to-keep-it-to-hi_2584042.png" --- # It was safer, he thought, to keep it to himself; because… ![“It was safer, he thought, to keep it to himself; because there are many ways of loving.” quote by Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/alexander-mccall-smith-372_loving_it-was-safer-he-thought-to-keep-it-to-hi_2584042.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/alexander-mccall-smith-372_loving_it-was-safer-he-thought-to-keep-it-to-hi_2584042.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/alexander-mccall-smith-372_loving_it-was-safer-he-thought-to-keep-it-to-hi_2584042.png) > ““It was safer, he thought, to keep it to himself; because there are many ways of loving.”” [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests keeping love private for safety, implying love can be vulnerable. **In simple terms:** Privacy protects love. Key Takeaway Guard personal affection. Themes love privacy vulnerability Mood thoughtful protective Type fiction philosophical When to use this quote - dating - personal boundaries - emotional safety Key Concepts relationship dynamics psychology Questions to Reflect On - When is openness beneficial? - How to balance privacy and sharing? A Different Perspective Secrecy may hinder intimacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving/) [Safer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safer/) [Safer Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safer-thought-1802047/) [Thought Ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-ways-1802048/) [Ways Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-loving-1651477/) ## Related quotes > [“I thought of all the ways that life might snap into, destroying the clarity and order of our world. Never in those days did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-thought-of-all-the-ways-that-life-might-snap-into-destroying-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's really extraordinary what a variety of ways of loving there must be. We all do it as it was never done before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-s-really-extraordinary-what-a-variety-of-ways-of-loving-there-must/) [Jerome K. 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(Because there are even more ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-lelord/he-had-realised-that-it-was-clara-he-loved-and-that-he-loved-her-in/) [François Lelord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-lelord/) > [There's no safer investment in the world than in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gibbs/there-s-no-safer-investment-in-the-world-than-in-the-united-states/) [Robert Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gibbs/) > [The use of these techniques against these terrorists made us safer. It really did work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayden/the-use-of-these-techniques-against-these-terrorists-made-us-safer-it/) [Michael Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayden/) > [“There is no safer place than in my arms and when you’re here, Amy, you can give me anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/there-is-no-safer-place-than-in-my-arms-and-when-you-re-here-amy-you/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [We cannot make ourselves safer by making ourselves less free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-lapierre/we-cannot-make-ourselves-safer-by-making-ourselves-less-free/) [Wayne LaPierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-lapierre/) > [Rather than risk starting their own businesses, most people seek safer environments, preferring job security to freedom and a steady paycheck to greater wealth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/rather-than-risk-starting-their-own-businesses-most-people-seek-safer/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I want to say that our shows are safer-spaces shows. Don't push anyone or affect anyone's space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-want-to-say-that-our-shows-are-safer-spaces-shows-don-t-push-anyone/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [America's families will be safer in a world where we're strong, where we're engaged, but where we're respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edwards/america-s-families-will-be-safer-in-a-world-where-we-re-strong-where/) [John Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edwards/) > [I find myself safer running in a pack of wolves than walking through a city alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolf/i-find-myself-safer-running-in-a-pack-of-wolves-than-walking-through/) [Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolf/) > [I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. 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That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“She had not made a lot of money, but she had not made a loss, and she had been happy and entertained. That counted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/she-had-not-made-a-lot-of-money-but-she-had-not-made-a-loss-and-she/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. Such people were not clever or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a-sign-of-bad-temper-and-lack/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Men are very sensitive, Mma Makutsi. You would not always think it to look at them, but they are. 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It's as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-then-the-second-thing-you-have-to-do-is-go-and-see-your-son-that/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Because laughs never die away entirely,” said Jamie. “At least, if you believe in Marconi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/because-laughs-never-die-away-entirely-said-jamie-at-least-if-you/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“The trouble with having a conscience, she said to herself, is that it never sleeps.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/the-trouble-with-having-a-conscience-she-said-to-herself-is-that-it/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And if there's bad behaviour," Mma Potokwane went on. "If there's bad behaviour, the quickest way of stopping it is to give more love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-if-there-s-bad-behaviour-mma-potokwane-went-on-if-there-s-bad/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“We never realise how transparent we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/we-never-realise-how-transparent-we-are/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Has he not got a wife back wherever he comes from? Is there no wife to say, ‘You must not go off and visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/has-he-not-got-a-wife-back-wherever-he-comes-from-is-there-no-wife-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He looked at her in the darkness, at this woman who was everything to him-mother, Africa, wisdom, understanding, good things to eat, pumpkins, chicken,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-looked-at-her-in-the-darkness-at-this-woman-who-was-everything-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“It is because you are generous in spirit; and may I be like that; may I become like you—which unrealistic wish, to become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-is-because-you-are-generous-in-spirit-and-may-i-be-like-that-may-i/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni,” she asked, “do you think that our souls grow as we get older?” He did not answer immediately, but when he did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/mr-j-l-b-matekoni-she-asked-do-you-think-that-our-souls-grow-as-we/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) [Explore all 628 Alexander McCall Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## More Loving quotes > [Loving you is the best feeling have ever had, and you loving me is the greater gift I have..I will be brave, I wont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fash/loving-you-is-the-best-feeling-have-ever-had-and-you-loving-me-is-the/) [Fash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fash/) > [When you find someone you want to spend forever with you, you don't let them go, whether forever turns out to be a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/when-you-find-someone-you-want-to-spend-forever-with-you-you-don-t/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [“But, you know, if you choose to be with someone you should feel good with them, otherwise it doesn't make sense... How do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assia-petricelli/but-you-know-if-you-choose-to-be-with-someone-you-should-feel-good/) [Assia Petricelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assia-petricelli/) > [“I love you anyway, Lia," he calls after me. "Until time tells, I mean." I turn to him and smile, loving him more in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zink/i-love-you-anyway-lia-he-calls-after-me-until-time-tells-i-mean-i/) [Michelle Zink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zink/) > [Loving yourself is a journey, not a destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-holliday/loving-yourself-is-a-journey-not-a-destination/) [Tess Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-holliday/) > [There's no ifs and buts or maybes, you're gonna miss, you're gonna miss my loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-rawls/there-s-no-ifs-and-buts-or-maybes-you-re-gonna-miss-you-re-gonna-miss/) [Lou Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-rawls/) > [Dear God, I trust that no matter what happens in my life, it is for my highest good. And no matter what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/dear-god-i-trust-that-no-matter-what-happens-in-my-life-it-is-for-my/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Loving a person is not based on the appearance , but it is based on how that person fills your heart with unexplained happiness .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loving-a-person-is-not-based-on-the-appearance-but-it-is-based-on-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Loving him is what you did best and moving on is what will you do next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loving-him-is-what-you-did-best-and-moving-on-is-what-will-you-do-next/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know why I keep on loving you despite the fact that I'll get hurt again.just like before.I never learn cause I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/i-don-t-know-why-i-keep-on-loving-you-despite-the-fact-that-i-ll-get/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [A happy family needs a loving and caring father, and he who knows how to be a mother sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-happy-family-needs-a-loving-and-caring-father-and-he-who-knows-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [While youre on the other line Ill keep thinking about, Ways that I can make you mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-sebastiao/while-youre-on-the-other-line-ill-keep-thinking-about-ways-that-i-can/) [Emanuel Sebastiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-sebastiao/) > [“Know that you are loved, loving and lovable, and that, in truth, the only thing that is occurring is that an old dream is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanti-christo-foundation/know-that-you-are-loved-loving-and-lovable-and-that-in-truth-the-only/) [Shanti Christo Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanti-christo-foundation/) > [Loving myself only because no one else deserves it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loving-myself-only-because-no-one-else-deserves-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we are serious about loving God, we must begin with people, all people. 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