--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The terrible thing about love is that it…" description: "\"The terrible thing about love is that it takes away your safety net, your balancing pole. Even the tightrope you walk upon will disappear beneath you, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/christopher-barzak-27183_air_the-terrible-thing-about-love-is-that-it_1737473.png" --- # The terrible thing about love is that it takes away your… ![“The terrible thing about love is that it takes away your safety net, your balancing pole. Even the tightrope you walk upon will disappear beneath you, yet love expects you to keep walking anyway, arms outstretched, one foot after the other, on nothing more than air.” quote by Christopher Barzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/christopher-barzak-27183_air_the-terrible-thing-about-love-is-that-it_1737473.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/christopher-barzak-27183_air_the-terrible-thing-about-love-is-that-it_1737473.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/christopher-barzak-27183_air_the-terrible-thing-about-love-is-that-it_1737473.png) > “The terrible thing about love is that it takes away your safety net, your balancing pole. Even the tightrope you walk upon will disappear beneath you, yet love expects you to keep walking anyway, arms outstretched, one foot after the other, on nothing more than air.” [Christopher Barzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-barzak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love removes familiar supports, forcing you to move forward despite uncertainty and vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Love strips safety, demanding brave continuation. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability and keep moving. Themes love vulnerability growth resilience trust Mood hopeful determined reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - starting a new relationship - recovering from breakup - making bold life choices - public speaking - entrepreneurship Key Concepts attachment theory existential risk emotional courage Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain balance when love feels destabilizing? - What inner resources help you keep walking? A Different Perspective Love can also cause pain and dependence, making risk management essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Safety net](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety-net/) ## Related quotes > [“And he thought he heard her whisper, just before she shattered beneath him, I love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-stone/and-he-thought-he-heard-her-whisper-just-before-she-shattered-beneath/) [Juliana Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-stone/) > [One is never wounded by the love one gives, only by the love one expects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-is-never-wounded-by-the-love-one-gives-only-by-the-love-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love expects no reward. Love knows no fear. Love Divine gives - does not demand. Love thinks no evil; imputes no motive. To Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/love-expects-no-reward-love-knows-no-fear-love-divine-gives-does-not/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [“Love takes a piece of our soul, of our heart, and holds it hostage. I don't have any pieces left to give right now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karpov-kinrade/love-takes-a-piece-of-our-soul-of-our-heart-and-holds-it-hostage-i/) [Karpov Kinrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karpov-kinrade/) > [I envy people that know love. That have someone who takes them as they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-c-scott/i-envy-people-that-know-love-that-have-someone-who-takes-them-as-they/) [Jess C Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-c-scott/) > [“Love takes chances, and I wanted to take a chance right now. For once in my life, I knew what I wanted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/love-takes-chances-and-i-wanted-to-take-a-chance-right-now-for-once/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-always-patient-and-kind-it-is-never-jealous-love-is-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Embark on the journey of LOVE. It takes you from yourself to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/embark-on-the-journey-of-love-it-takes-you-from-yourself-to-yourself/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Love takes nothing: how can it take something? Everything belongs to it. It does not say, "This is mine! And this is mine!" But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-aleksandrovich-antonov/love-takes-nothing-how-can-it-take-something-everything-belongs-to-it/) [Vladimir Aleksandrovich Antonov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-aleksandrovich-antonov/) > [I am lOVE!.. do you have what it takes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zabi-khojazada/i-am-love-do-you-have-what-it-takes/) [Zabi Khojazada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zabi-khojazada/) > [Don't get feelings mixed up with 'love' real love takes time, growth and sacrifices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-get-feelings-mixed-up-with-love-real-love-takes-time-growth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But love is much like a dam: if you allow a tiny crack to form through which only a trickle of water can pass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/but-love-is-much-like-a-dam-if-you-allow-a-tiny-crack-to-form-through/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It takes guts to fall in love, but it takes nerve to go back to the one who broke you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blondie/it-takes-guts-to-fall-in-love-but-it-takes-nerve-to-go-back-to-the/) [Blondie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blondie/) > [Anyone can find love, but it takes a strong heart to keep it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anyone-can-find-love-but-it-takes-a-strong-heart-to-keep-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Christopher Barzak > [“Uncharted territory,” I said. “The parts on the maps of our lives that we don’t understand. In cartographer’s language they call these places sleeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-barzak/uncharted-territory-i-said-the-parts-on-the-maps-of-our-lives-that-we/) [Christopher Barzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-barzak/) > [“Tokyo was an origami city folded over and over until something was made of virtually nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-barzak/tokyo-was-an-origami-city-folded-over-and-over-until-something-was/) [Christopher Barzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-barzak/) > [Don’t ever put your happiness in someone else’s hands. They’ll drop it. They’ll drop it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-barzak/don-t-ever-put-your-happiness-in-someone-else-s-hands-they-ll-drop-it/) [Christopher Barzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-barzak/) > [Sometimes you've got to be able to listen to yourself and be okay with no one else understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-barzak/sometimes-you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-listen-to-yourself-and-be-okay/) [Christopher Barzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-barzak/) > [“My heart was defective. 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It’s knowing when to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-barzak/real-strength-isn-t-control-it-s-knowing-when-to-let-go/) [Christopher Barzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-barzak/) > [“He was all surface, written on by those who’d pass him, like a love hotel diary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-barzak/he-was-all-surface-written-on-by-those-who-d-pass-him-like-a-love/) [Christopher Barzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-barzak/) [Explore all 21 Christopher Barzak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-barzak/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. 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But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. 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