--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You‘ve always had a soft heart, son. You…" description: "\"“You‘ve always had a soft heart, son. You just hide it better than most.\" Danny shrugged. \"Starting to hide it from myself, then, I guess.\" \"Always the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/dennis-lehane-1503_soft-heart_you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-j_1548242.jpg" --- # You‘ve always had a soft heart, son. You just hide it… ![“You‘ve always had a soft heart, son. You just hide it better than most." Danny shrugged. "Starting to hide it from myself, then, I guess." "Always the danger, that. Then one day, sure, you can‘t remember where you left all those pieces you tried so hard to hold on. Or why you work so hard at the…” quote by Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/dennis-lehane-1503_soft-heart_you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-j_1548242.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/dennis-lehane-1503_soft-heart_you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-j_1548242.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/dennis-lehane-1503_soft-heart_you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-j_1548242.jpg) > ““You‘ve always had a soft heart, son. You just hide it better than most." Danny shrugged. "Starting to hide it from myself, then, I guess." "Always the danger, that. Then one day, sure, you can‘t remember where you left all those pieces you tried so hard to hold on. Or why you work so hard at the holding.”” [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A father teaches his son that softness is hidden, not absent, and that holding onto pieces can lead to loss and loneliness. **In simple terms:** Softness is hidden, not gone, and clinging can cause loss. Key Takeaway Recognize and accept hidden softness. Themes vulnerability memory loss Mood melancholic introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - family counseling - grief therapy - personal reflection Key Concepts identity emotional resilience Questions to Reflect On - What are you hiding from yourself? - How does vulnerability shape identity? A Different Perspective Hardening can protect but also isolates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Danny Shrugged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danny-shrugged-5781040/) [Hard Holding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-holding-607274/) [Heart Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-son-2223926/) [Soft heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soft-heart/) [Tried Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tried-hard/) ## Related quotes > [The only man who has stolen my heart is my son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/the-only-man-who-has-stolen-my-heart-is-my-son/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [Breaks your heart when your son doesn't love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evel-knievel/breaks-your-heart-when-your-son-doesn-t-love-you/) [Evel Knievel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evel-knievel/) > [“Vich Deelish   My heart is in the heart of my son     And my life is in his life surely   A man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/vich-deelish-my-heart-is-in-the-heart-of-my-son-and-my-life-is-in-his/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“ Duty o'er love was the choice you did make My love you did spurn, my heart you did break Your penance to pay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-adair/duty-o-er-love-was-the-choice-you-did-make-my-love-you-did-spurn-my/) [Cherry Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-adair/) > [“But now, as it is, sorrows, unending sorrows must surge within your heart as well—for your own son’s death. Never again will you embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/but-now-as-it-is-sorrows-unending-sorrows-must-surge-within-your/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Letting go of someone you love is hard, but holding onto someone that doesn't even feel the same is much harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/letting-go-of-someone-you-love-is-hard-but-holding-onto-someone-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Letting go of someone you love is hard, but holding on to someone who doesn't even feel the same is much harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/letting-go-of-someone-you-love-is-hard-but-holding-on-to-someone-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Letting go of someone special is hard but holding on to someone who doesn't even feel the same is much harder..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/letting-go-of-someone-special-is-hard-but-holding-on-to-someone-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Letting go of someone special to you is hard. But holding on to someone who doesn't feel the same is harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mild-z-de-asis/letting-go-of-someone-special-to-you-is-hard-but-holding-on-to/) [Mild'z De Asis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mild-z-de-asis/) > [Was it hard? I ask. 'Letting go? Not as hard as holding on to something that wasn't real.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-schroeder/was-it-hard-i-ask-letting-go-not-as-hard-as-holding-on-to-something-2/) [Lisa Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-schroeder/) > [“Holding no hand is hard, but holding the wrong one is harder. My body, quite literally, has rejected him. He plants tumors in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-lee-miller/holding-no-hand-is-hard-but-holding-the-wrong-one-is-harder-my-body/) [Shannon Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-lee-miller/) > [It was really hard to do that at first. You have been holding onto this thing - even though you know what someone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-blasko/it-was-really-hard-to-do-that-at-first-you-have-been-holding-onto/) [Sarah Blasko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-blasko/) > [“Letting go of someone who owns your heart is hard. Sometimes holding on to that person is even harder. I know I'm not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/letting-go-of-someone-who-owns-your-heart-is-hard-sometimes-holding/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [Letting go is hard, but sometimes holding on is harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonirose/letting-go-is-hard-but-sometimes-holding-on-is-harder/) [Tonirose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonirose/) > [Sometimes, it's hard holding back the truth, how you really feel, and sometimes the best way is let it out and move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-waiters/sometimes-it-s-hard-holding-back-the-truth-how-you-really-feel-and/) [Dion Waiters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-waiters/) ## More by Dennis Lehane > [He wondered if this was what clinical depression felt like, a total numbness, a weary lack of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-wondered-if-this-was-what-clinical-depression-felt-like-a-total/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [I held her, he wanted to say, and if I knew for certain that all it would take to hold her again would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-held-her-he-wanted-to-say-and-if-i-knew-for-certain-that-all-it/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Everyone I know lies, breaks their word, and has perfectly legitimate excuses for why they do. Except you. Haven't you ever noticed that? Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/everyone-i-know-lies-breaks-their-word-and-has-perfectly-legitimate/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“If a man was lucky, he was moving toward something his whole life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/if-a-man-was-lucky-he-was-moving-toward-something-his-whole-life/) [dennis lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“After my daughter was born, I'd considered buying a shotgun to ward off potention suitors fourteen or so years up the road. Now, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/after-my-daughter-was-born-i-d-considered-buying-a-shotgun-to-ward/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“I once again felt an odd flush of admiration for my partner's faith in a religion I had long ago abandoned. She doesn't advertise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-once-again-felt-an-odd-flush-of-admiration-for-my-partner-s-faith/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“And she was-definitely-a woman who did not shrink from gauntlets, but stepped up to them, and said, Okay, bring it. Bring your worst. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/and-she-was-definitely-a-woman-who-did-not-shrink-from-gauntlets-but/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Jimmy looked back over at his wife, and Celeste could feel the tenderest of aches in the look. She could feel another teardrop piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/jimmy-looked-back-over-at-his-wife-and-celeste-could-feel-the/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“She told him that he had the most beautiful voice she'd ever heard, that it sounded like whiskey and wood smoke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/she-told-him-that-he-had-the-most-beautiful-voice-she-d-ever-heard/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [My daughter squealed again and both Bubba and I winced. It’s not an attractive sound, that. It’s high-pitched and it enters your ear canals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/my-daughter-squealed-again-and-both-bubba-and-i-winced-it-s-not-an/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“It’s been a complicated decade for me.” She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/it-s-been-a-complicated-decade-for-me-she/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“The only people who ask questions like ‘Did he want to be something besides a bartender?’ are people who can become whatever they want.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/the-only-people-who-ask-questions-like-did-he-want-to-be-something/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Love, impossible, yet there was no mistaking it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/love-impossible-yet-there-was-no-mistaking-it/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“She blew a stream of smoke up at the empty clotheslines. 'These silly dreams you have when you're young. I mean, what, Katie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/she-blew-a-stream-of-smoke-up-at-the-empty-clotheslines-these-silly/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“He looked back at the page, got one last glimpse before the match blew itself out. Going to find you today, Andrew. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-looked-back-at-the-page-got-one-last-glimpse-before-the-match-blew/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) [Explore all 231 Dennis Lehane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## More Soft heart quotes > [“She opened for me, every part of her available and soft for me.  Except her heart, I thought.  That she had closed to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/she-opened-for-me-every-part-of-her-available-and-soft-for-me-except/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [Make your heart like a lake, with calm, still surface, and great depths of kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/make-your-heart-like-a-lake-with-calm-still-surface-and-great-depths/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Are soft-hearted people handicapped in business? You have heard a businessman say of someone else, He's all right, but he's too soft-hearted… To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/are-soft-hearted-people-handicapped-in-business-you-have-heard-a/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [“Thought of the night\*\*\* True fact about humans with true and soft heart...that those who cry while watching someone totaly different in pain...or feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurusharan-singh-thoughtofthenight-blogspot-in/thought-of-the-night-true-fact-about-humans-with-true-and-soft-heart/) [Gurusharan Singh thoughtofthenight.blogspot.in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurusharan-singh-thoughtofthenight-blogspot-in/) > [The feeling of being deceived, completely betrayed by someone so close to your clueless heart. You tell them everything, all the emotions and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-feeling-of-being-deceived-completely-betrayed-by-someone-so-close/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Give me a strong back, over a soft heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/give-me-a-strong-back-over-a-soft-heart/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“You want to know who the strongest man in the Kabuki District is? You must be new in town. You won't last long with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorachi-hideaki/you-want-to-know-who-the-strongest-man-in-the-kabuki-district-is-you/) [Sorachi Hideaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorachi-hideaki/) > [God does not live in structures of stone or brick. He lives in soft hearts warm with sympathy and fragrant with universal love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/god-does-not-live-in-structures-of-stone-or-brick-he-lives-in-soft/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [To get closer to Truth and Right, we need a beautiful and soft heart. Every human learns one day or another to become softer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shams-tabrizi/to-get-closer-to-truth-and-right-we-need-a-beautiful-and-soft-heart/) [Shams Tabrizi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shams-tabrizi/) > [“Give An African Child Or Adult A Enabled Environment And Proper Facilities Like In The West And See The Many Great Wonders That Would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-tunde-ojo-olubiyo/give-an-african-child-or-adult-a-enabled-environment-and-proper/) [Baba Tunde Ojo-Olubiyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-tunde-ojo-olubiyo/) > [Better a broken heart than a hardened one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalia-mogahed/better-a-broken-heart-than-a-hardened-one/) [Dalia Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalia-mogahed/) > [Father may show he is hard and strict but actually he has a very soft heart for his daughter. daughter is always very special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-megha/father-may-show-he-is-hard-and-strict-but-actually-he-has-a-very-soft/) [Angel Megha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-megha/) > [Having a Soft Heart In a Cruel World Is Courage, Not Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-henson/having-a-soft-heart-in-a-cruel-world-is-courage-not-weakness/) [Katherine Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-henson/) > [God wants us to have soft hearts and hard feet. The trouble with so many of us is that we have hard hearts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-pullinger/god-wants-us-to-have-soft-hearts-and-hard-feet-the-trouble-with-so/) [Jackie Pullinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-pullinger/) > [“His hands came to her wrists, squeezed reflexively, before he got quickly to his feet. "You're mixing things up." Panic arrowed straight into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/his-hands-came-to-her-wrists-squeezed-reflexively-before-he-got/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) [Browse all 47 Soft heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soft-heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You‘ve always had a soft heart, son. You just hide it better than most.\" Danny shrugged. \"Starting to hide it from myself, then, I guess.\" \"Always the danger, that. Then one day, sure, you can‘t remember where you left all those pieces you tried so hard to hold on. Or why you work so hard at the holding.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dennis Lehane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-just-hide-it-better-than-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Soft heart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-just-hide-it-better-than-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/dennis-lehane-1503_soft-heart_you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-j_1548242.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/dennis-lehane-1503_soft-heart_you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-j_1548242.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/dennis-lehane-1503_soft-heart_you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-j_1548242.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You‘ve always had a soft heart, son. You just hide it better than most.\" Danny shrugged. \"Starting to hide…” — Dennis Lehane", "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": "Dennis Lehane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You‘ve always had a soft heart,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-just-hide-it-better-than-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/you-ve-always-had-a-soft-heart-son-you-just-hide-it-better-than-most/#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 } } ] } ```