Hearts Quote by C.S. Lewis
““There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis, 1942
Love inevitably brings vulnerability and potential pain; avoiding love leads to emotional isolation, which is ultimately a form of self‑damnation.
In simple terms: Love is risky; avoiding it creates a cold, empty self‑protection.
Key Takeaway
Embrace love despite its risks.
Themes
love
vulnerability
risk
Mood
cautious
introspective
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- relationships
- personal growth
- emotional health
- spiritual reflection
Key Concepts
existentialism
spirituality
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to love fearlessly?
- Can emotional safety be truly achieved?
A Different Perspective
Choosing safety over love leads to a hollow, self‑destructive existence.
