--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had spent a long time shielding his…" description: "\"“He had spent a long time shielding his heart and his emotions, holding back his capacity for love due to the death of someone he once cared for. Thoug..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/c-j-anaya-29540_long-time_he-had-spent-a-long-time-shielding-his-h_1546236.jpg" --- # He had spent a long time shielding his heart and his… ![“He had spent a long time shielding his heart and his emotions, holding back his capacity for love due to the death of someone he once cared for. Though he was determined to leave his heart cold and empty, I hoped pushing him toward a demonstration of affection might help him release the anger and…” quote by C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/c-j-anaya-29540_long-time_he-had-spent-a-long-time-shielding-his-h_1546236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/c-j-anaya-29540_long-time_he-had-spent-a-long-time-shielding-his-h_1546236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/c-j-anaya-29540_long-time_he-had-spent-a-long-time-shielding-his-h_1546236.jpg) > ““He had spent a long time shielding his heart and his emotions, holding back his capacity for love due to the death of someone he once cared for. Though he was determined to leave his heart cold and empty, I hoped pushing him toward a demonstration of affection might help him release the anger and darkness he held. He simply needed to exercise that complicated muscle resting dormant in his chest. The heart, if never exercised, would eventually feel absolutely nothing.”” [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A guarded person avoids love after loss, but opening the heart can heal pain and restore feeling. **In simple terms:** Heart protection blocks love; opening it heals. Key Takeaway Allow vulnerability to restore emotional health. Themes love healing vulnerability Mood hopeful reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - relationship building - personal growth Key Concepts emotional resilience attachment theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you safely practice emotional openness? - What small steps can you take to reconnect with love? A Different Perspective Opening the heart may expose one to further hurt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-emotions/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-practice-of-medicine-is-an-art-not-a-trade-a-calling-not-a-2/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Sometimes crying is just one of the best way to let out your emotions you have been holding back for too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/sometimes-crying-is-just-one-of-the-best-way-to-let-out-your-emotions/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [When a girl cries, it's not usually over one thing. It's built up anger and emotions that she's been holding in for too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-girl-cries-it-s-not-usually-over-one-thing-it-s-built-up-anger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of people think I reacted a little too emotionally when I said, 'If I can't beat Adrian Neville, I'm done.' But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sami-zayn/a-lot-of-people-think-i-reacted-a-little-too-emotionally-when-i-said/) [Sami Zayn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sami-zayn/) > [I've really taken time to dive into my heart and my emotions a little more. I think, before, I was a little nervous to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-beer/i-ve-really-taken-time-to-dive-into-my-heart-and-my-emotions-a-little/) [Madison Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-beer/) > [You can always close your eyes from all the things you don't want to see, but you can never close your heart from all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-always-close-your-eyes-from-all-the-things-you-don-t-want-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being Strong doesn't mean that..we don't have a heart or emotions to feel the pain; Or it doesn't hurt…It does a lot like anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santanu-mishra/being-strong-doesn-t-mean-that-we-don-t-have-a-heart-or-emotions-to/) [Santanu Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santanu-mishra/) > [“Stimulants to the heart and emotions are very effective, keep and protect your partner you have to find out the things which affect quickly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaran-ihsan-salih/stimulants-to-the-heart-and-emotions-are-very-effective-keep-and/) [Kamaran Ihsan Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaran-ihsan-salih/) > [“A happy woman is a woman relaxed in her body and heart: powerful, unpredictable, deep, potentially wild and destructive, or calm and serene, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/a-happy-woman-is-a-woman-relaxed-in-her-body-and-heart-powerful/) [David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/) > [Sometimes, I wish I can close my heart from all the emotions I don't want to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-wish-i-can-close-my-heart-from-all-the-emotions-i-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The way to art was not to think too clearly, not to plan things out, but to follow where your heart and emotions led.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-park/the-way-to-art-was-not-to-think-too-clearly-not-to-plan-things-out/) Paul Park > [“Knock on the heart’s emotions and its gates will be widely opened, but nock on reason and doubt will come charging at you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/knock-on-the-heart-s-emotions-and-its-gates-will-be-widely-opened-but/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [For me, if you are not like, taking care of my heart, my emotions, you know, just my mental state and making me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larsa-pippen/for-me-if-you-are-not-like-taking-care-of-my-heart-my-emotions-you/) [Larsa Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larsa-pippen/) > [Others from the heart, emotions, the play is left empty handed at the end](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/others-from-the-heart-emotions-the-play-is-left-empty-handed-at-the/) Mak\_786 > [Every true love dwells in the heart and emotions, but obviously does not! Like First Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/every-true-love-dwells-in-the-heart-and-emotions-but-obviously-does/) Mak\_786 ## More by C.J. Anaya > [“Yeah, okay we got it. Death and destruction await those that dare oppose you. My biceps are bigger than your biceps. Blah blah blah.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/yeah-okay-we-got-it-death-and-destruction-await-those-that-dare/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“The men expressed their gratitude for the service I rendered, meeting my eyes with respect. I supposed if you were fighting alongside women in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/the-men-expressed-their-gratitude-for-the-service-i-rendered-meeting/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“I think the sea monster is more of a reference to ugliness on the outside but beauty on the inside. You know, like beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/i-think-the-sea-monster-is-more-of-a-reference-to-ugliness-on-the/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“My point is this, no matter the pain that love is tethered to there are equal parts of joy and healing that can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/my-point-is-this-no-matter-the-pain-that-love-is-tethered-to-there/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“I wanted answers, and I was afraid of what those answers might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/i-wanted-answers-and-i-was-afraid-of-what-those-answers-might-be/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“I see you trying to be everything for everyone just in case there’s a chance that you’ll be too late, but Hope, honey, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/i-see-you-trying-to-be-everything-for-everyone-just-in-case-there-s-a/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“I would rather have something from the cafeteria,” Tie said, knowing it would take her much longer to get there. He needed some time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/i-would-rather-have-something-from-the-cafeteria-tie-said-knowing-it/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“I could’ve let down my guard a bit and not been quite so confrontational, but it had felt good sparring with him like that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/i-could-ve-let-down-my-guard-a-bit-and-not-been-quite-so/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“She poked her finger in his direction again. “If you get to stay, then so do I.” Tie shook his head. “I’m her soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/she-poked-her-finger-in-his-direction-again-if-you-get-to-stay-then/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“In truth, I was almost certain that plenty of couples in this world were happy together, whether they were fated for one another or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/in-truth-i-was-almost-certain-that-plenty-of-couples-in-this-world/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“You look like a goddess. I really am wasting my time attending high school. I should be a very high paid fashion consultant for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/you-look-like-a-goddess-i-really-am-wasting-my-time-attending-high/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“Well, in each situation there are gods of love who get people to love one another through different objects like arrows or cherry blossoms,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/well-in-each-situation-there-are-gods-of-love-who-get-people-to-love/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“Angie helps me loosen up a little bit here and there, and I keep her from going to jail and possibly getting herself killed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/angie-helps-me-loosen-up-a-little-bit-here-and-there-and-i-keep-her/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“How awesome—and somewhat creepy—that you’ve taken the liberty of memorizing the names of your classmates before your first day of school.” Angie inserted herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/how-awesome-and-somewhat-creepy-that-you-ve-taken-the-liberty-of/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) > [“Every living thing on this Earth must fulfill the mission it was created for and experience any and every emotion possible. There is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anaya/every-living-thing-on-this-earth-must-fulfill-the-mission-it-was/) [C.J. Anaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) [Explore all 18 C.J. Anaya quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anaya/) ## More Long time quotes > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. 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Some people called that place friendship; others called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslye-walton/for-a-very-long-time-viviane-and-jack-lived-in-that-world-people/) [Leslye Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslye-walton/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [I've been around in public life for a long time. I think people know what I stand for. 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