---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love a man who doesn’t let go of the…"
description: "\"“I love a man who doesn’t let go of the leash, even when it leads him to ruin.”\" — David Levithan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/david-levithan-67_quote_i-love-a-man-who-doesn-t-let-go-of-the-l_1901962.jpg"
---

#  I love a man who doesn’t let go of the leash, even when it…

![“I love a man who doesn’t let go of the leash, even when it leads him to ruin.” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/david-levithan-67_quote_i-love-a-man-who-doesn-t-let-go-of-the-l_1901962.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/david-levithan-67_quote_i-love-a-man-who-doesn-t-let-go-of-the-l_1901962.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/david-levithan-67_quote_i-love-a-man-who-doesn-t-let-go-of-the-l_1901962.jpg)

> ““I love a man who doesn’t let go of the leash, even when it leads him to ruin.””

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Loving someone who clings even when it leads to self‑destruction.

**In simple terms:** Loving a self‑destructive partner.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address unhealthy attachment.

Themes

love self‑destruction attachment

Mood

conflicted concerned

Type

cautionary emotional

When to use this quote

- romantic relationships
- friendships
- family dynamics

Key Concepts

codependency risk emotional health

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you enable harmful behavior?
- What boundaries are needed?

A Different Perspective

Love can enable harmful behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

## Related quotes

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> [I don't like running when I'm holding things in my hand, whether it's a dog leash or a baby jogger. My mechanics get all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-ryssdal/i-don-t-like-running-when-i-m-holding-things-in-my-hand-whether-it-s/)

[Kai Ryssdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-ryssdal/)

> [Leash: n, a means by which animals, formerly running wild, are prevented from running tame, also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/leash-n-a-means-by-which-animals-formerly-running-wild-are-prevented/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

> [Underwear. It's like a goddamned leash. It also constantly reminds me of how funny I look naked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/underwear-it-s-like-a-goddamned-leash-it-also-constantly-reminds-me/)

[Pete Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wentz/)

> [“Dreams are ideas where the collar has been removed and the leash has been thrown away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/dreams-are-ideas-where-the-collar-has-been-removed-and-the-leash-has/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [When I think about it, the happiest and most successful people I know don't just love what they do, they're obsessed with solving something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/when-i-think-about-it-the-happiest-and-most-successful-people-i-know/)

[Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/)

> [“The leash snaps loose and trails after the little white dog like a kite streamer; then the knot closes, sealing shut. In seconds, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/the-leash-snaps-loose-and-trails-after-the-little-white-dog-like-a/)

[Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/)

> [Took my cat Dexter for the first time, outside and on a leash tonight. Man, he's such a little rockstar, he did so good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-underwood/took-my-cat-dexter-for-the-first-time-outside-and-on-a-leash-tonight/)

[Sara Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-underwood/)

> [I'm no one's lap dog, you can't put me on a leash, and that was the attitude of it, fuck off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-m-no-one-s-lap-dog-you-can-t-put-me-on-a-leash-and-that-was-the/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [I saw...a kid on a leash. You seen these people? Kid on a leash? How horrible. Put him in the pound where he belongs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-saw-a-kid-on-a-leash-you-seen-these-people-kid-on-a-leash-how/)

[Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/)

> [Never let your fiend off his leash unless there's lots of room to run (and no people around).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryjanice-davidson/never-let-your-fiend-off-his-leash-unless-there-s-lots-of-room-to-run/)

[MaryJanice Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryjanice-davidson/)

> [“Although my elephant is different than yours. Mine's bright purple and I like to lead him around on a leash and introduce him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-brockmann/although-my-elephant-is-different-than-yours-mine-s-bright-purple-and/)

[Suzanne Brockmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-brockmann/)

> [“The dog leash was still tied tight around the oak tree in the back, stretched worn and limp across the green grass as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-dog-leash-was-still-tied-tight-around-the-oak-tree-in-the-back/)

[Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/)

> [Ever wonder where you'd end up if you took your dog for a walk and never once pulled back on the leash?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/ever-wonder-where-you-d-end-up-if-you-took-your-dog-for-a-walk-and/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

> [Pro wrestling was there, and I was good at it, thank God. I started getting a lot of offers, but unfortunately, at WWE I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-angle/pro-wrestling-was-there-and-i-was-good-at-it-thank-god-i-started/)

[Kurt Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-angle/)

## More by David Levithan

> [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/)

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> [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

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[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/)

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> [“Because toward the end all the words started leaving. Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/)

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[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

[Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

## More Leash quotes

> [Pro wrestling was there, and I was good at it, thank God. I started getting a lot of offers, but unfortunately, at WWE I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-angle/pro-wrestling-was-there-and-i-was-good-at-it-thank-god-i-started/)

[Kurt Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-angle/)

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> [“The dog leash was still tied tight around the oak tree in the back, stretched worn and limp across the green grass as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-dog-leash-was-still-tied-tight-around-the-oak-tree-in-the-back/)

[Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/)

> [“Although my elephant is different than yours. Mine's bright purple and I like to lead him around on a leash and introduce him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-brockmann/although-my-elephant-is-different-than-yours-mine-s-bright-purple-and/)

[Suzanne Brockmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-brockmann/)

> [Never let your fiend off his leash unless there's lots of room to run (and no people around).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryjanice-davidson/never-let-your-fiend-off-his-leash-unless-there-s-lots-of-room-to-run/)

[MaryJanice Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryjanice-davidson/)

> [I saw...a kid on a leash. You seen these people? Kid on a leash? How horrible. Put him in the pound where he belongs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-saw-a-kid-on-a-leash-you-seen-these-people-kid-on-a-leash-how/)

[Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/)

> [I'm no one's lap dog, you can't put me on a leash, and that was the attitude of it, fuck off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-m-no-one-s-lap-dog-you-can-t-put-me-on-a-leash-and-that-was-the/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

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[Sara Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-underwood/)

> [“The leash snaps loose and trails after the little white dog like a kite streamer; then the knot closes, sealing shut. In seconds, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/the-leash-snaps-loose-and-trails-after-the-little-white-dog-like-a/)

[Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/)

> [When I think about it, the happiest and most successful people I know don't just love what they do, they're obsessed with solving something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/when-i-think-about-it-the-happiest-and-most-successful-people-i-know/)

[Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/)

> [“Dreams are ideas where the collar has been removed and the leash has been thrown away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/dreams-are-ideas-where-the-collar-has-been-removed-and-the-leash-has/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [Underwear. It's like a goddamned leash. It also constantly reminds me of how funny I look naked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/underwear-it-s-like-a-goddamned-leash-it-also-constantly-reminds-me/)

[Pete Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wentz/)

> [Leash: n, a means by which animals, formerly running wild, are prevented from running tame, also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/leash-n-a-means-by-which-animals-formerly-running-wild-are-prevented/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

> [I don't like running when I'm holding things in my hand, whether it's a dog leash or a baby jogger. My mechanics get all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-ryssdal/i-don-t-like-running-when-i-m-holding-things-in-my-hand-whether-it-s/)

[Kai Ryssdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-ryssdal/)

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[Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/)

Browse all 63 Leash quotes

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