--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes we push people away to see if…" description: "\"“Sometimes we push people away to see if they will come back, to test their commitment. Sometimes we let ourselves be pushed away waiting to be asked b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_compassion_sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if_412399.jpg" --- # Sometimes we push people away to see if they will come… ![“Sometimes we push people away to see if they will come back, to test their commitment. Sometimes we let ourselves be pushed away waiting to be asked back, to test their caring.” quote by Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_compassion_sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if_412399.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_compassion_sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if_412399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_compassion_sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if_412399.jpg) > ““Sometimes we push people away to see if they will come back, to test their commitment. Sometimes we let ourselves be pushed away waiting to be asked back, to test their caring.”” [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People test love by creating distance, hoping the other will return, revealing commitment and care. **In simple terms:** Testing love by pulling away to see if the other returns. Key Takeaway Communicate openly instead of playing games. Themes relationships trust communication psychology Mood reflective thoughtful Type relationship advice When to use this quote - dating - friendships - family dynamics - conflict resolution Key Concepts attachment theory commitment testing emotional games Questions to Reflect On - What healthier ways can you show commitment? - How do you know when distance is needed? A Different Perspective Testing can damage trust if misread. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Pushed away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pushed-away/) ## Related quotes > [Distance is the true test of commitment and loyalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/distance-is-the-true-test-of-commitment-and-loyalty/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The true test of one's commitment to liberty and private property rights doesn't come when we permit people to be free to do those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/the-true-test-of-one-s-commitment-to-liberty-and-private-property/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [“Never let yourself be pushed around--but treat the good people great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/never-let-yourself-be-pushed-around-but-treat-the-good-people-great/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [I won't let myself be pushed around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demba-ba/i-won-t-let-myself-be-pushed-around/) [Demba Ba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demba-ba/) > [You can't let yourself be pushed around. You can't live in fear. That's no way to live your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-goetz/you-can-t-let-yourself-be-pushed-around-you-can-t-live-in-fear-that-s/) [Bernhard Goetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-goetz/) > [You can't let yourself be pushed around. You can't live in fear. I mean, some people do live in fear. You can't live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-goetz/you-can-t-let-yourself-be-pushed-around-you-can-t-live-in-fear-i-mean/) [Bernhard Goetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-goetz/) > [I've always done music to push people to get them to get uncomfortable in their seat so they could wrestle with things. Not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-ve-always-done-music-to-push-people-to-get-them-to-get/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [“If you push people, they snap. It’s just like dogs. Or horses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-mugrage/if-you-push-people-they-snap-it-s-just-like-dogs-or-horses/) [Jennifer Mugrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-mugrage/) > [We push people away just to see if they'll come back. The sad truth is sometimes we push too hard and they never push…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-push-people-away-just-to-see-if-they-ll-come-back-the-sad-truth-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Wouldn’t it be nice if the world was flat? That way we could just push off the people we don’t like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wouldn-t-it-be-nice-if-the-world-was-flat-that-way-we-could-just-push/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Someone can only upset you, if you allow them too, learn to ignore negative people who have nothing good to say about you or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/someone-can-only-upset-you-if-you-allow-them-too-learn-to-ignore/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [“People can poison people; people can also promote people. People can push people up; people can also pull people down. Don’t just follow people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/people-can-poison-people-people-can-also-promote-people-people-can/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [For some people, success is a zero sum game. They think that if they push other people out of the way, fewer people can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lelia-bundles/for-some-people-success-is-a-zero-sum-game-they-think-that-if-they/) [A'Lelia Bundles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lelia-bundles/) > [My problem is that I push people away and then hate them for leaving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-problem-is-that-i-push-people-away-and-then-hate-them-for-leaving/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You can always push people around, but it's not a good idea. Better to let them volunteer information for reasons of their own. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/you-can-always-push-people-around-but-it-s-not-a-good-idea-better-to/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) ## More by Cody Edward Lee Miller > [“(‘T) is all that separates I CAN’T from I CAN. Cut away the bullshit and live your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/t-is-all-that-separates-i-can-t-from-i-can-cut-away-the-bullshit-and/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“What makes the stars special is that they shine even after the rest of the world goes dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/what-makes-the-stars-special-is-that-they-shine-even-after-the-rest/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“In the oppressive future artists will be the last rebels, Muses will be their deity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/in-the-oppressive-future-artists-will-be-the-last-rebels-muses-will/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“We're tragic actors in a world of comedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/we-re-tragic-actors-in-a-world-of-comedy/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“It’s better to have a light heart and a dark mind than for the opposite to be true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/it-s-better-to-have-a-light-heart-and-a-dark-mind-than-for-the/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Greatness is for those who work for it, Mediocrity is for those who accept it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/greatness-is-for-those-who-work-for-it-mediocrity-is-for-those-who/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Faith, hope and love should be balloons lifting you up, not anchors weighing you down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/faith-hope-and-love-should-be-balloons-lifting-you-up-not-anchors/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“The muse of memories past inspires smiles on many a sad faces, tears on many a dry cheek, and warmth of love inside so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/the-muse-of-memories-past-inspires-smiles-on-many-a-sad-faces-tears/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“With every whispered beat of his heart, he could hear her name echo in his chest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/with-every-whispered-beat-of-his-heart-he-could-hear-her-name-echo-in/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Sometimes the pounding of your heart when it’s in love awakens all the sleeping monster and emotions in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/sometimes-the-pounding-of-your-heart-when-it-s-in-love-awakens-all/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“You define your existence, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/you-define-your-existence-not-the-other-way-around/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“We swallow coal, and choke on diamonds, that's the hell inside us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/we-swallow-coal-and-choke-on-diamonds-that-s-the-hell-inside-us/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Our existence is shaped by our action not our thoughts. Our perceptions are shaped by thoughts not action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/our-existence-is-shaped-by-our-action-not-our-thoughts-our/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Self-destruction can be cathartic in the worst ways possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/self-destruction-can-be-cathartic-in-the-worst-ways-possible/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Helping the caterpillar can sometimes kill the butterfly. You can’t fight their darkness for them, but you can make sure they don't face it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/helping-the-caterpillar-can-sometimes-kill-the-butterfly-you-can-t/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) [Explore all 250 Cody Edward Lee Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) Segun Magbagbeola > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) Talib al Habib > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes we push people away to see if they will come back, to test their commitment. Sometimes we let ourselves be pushed away waiting to be asked back, to test their caring.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cody Edward Lee Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if-they-will-come-back-to-test/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if-they-will-come-back-to-test/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_compassion_sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if_412399.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_compassion_sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if_412399.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/cody-edward-lee-miller-1361_compassion_sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if_412399.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes we push people away to see if they will come back, to test their commitment. Sometimes we let…” — Cody Edward Lee Miller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cody Edward Lee Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Sometimes we push people away to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if-they-will-come-back-to-test/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if-they-will-come-back-to-test/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```