--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hopefully, we can build bridges, but we…" description: "\"Hopefully, we can build bridges, but we also have to draw lines.\" — Fred Thompson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/fred-thompson-8900_bridges_hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-al_1234597.jpg" --- # Hopefully, we can build bridges, but we also have to draw… ![“Hopefully, we can build bridges, but we also have to draw lines.” quote by Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/fred-thompson-8900_bridges_hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-al_1234597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/fred-thompson-8900_bridges_hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-al_1234597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/fred-thompson-8900_bridges_hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-al_1234597.jpg) > “Hopefully, we can build bridges, but we also have to draw lines.” [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Building connections is essential, yet boundaries must be set to protect interests and maintain order. **In simple terms:** Make friends, but keep limits. Key Takeaway Cultivate relationships while defining clear limits. Themes relationships boundaries collaboration integrity leadership Mood reflective balanced Type advice motivational When to use this quote - team building - diplomacy - conflict resolution - personal networking Key Concepts social capital risk management ethical negotiation Questions to Reflect On - When should a line be drawn? - How do you maintain openness while protecting core values? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on boundaries can hinder trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes you have to, as I say, build bridges where you can - but draw lines where you must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/sometimes-you-have-to-as-i-say-build-bridges-where-you-can-but-draw/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [We have to Build Bridges of Peace Instead of building Walls of Wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/widad-akrawi/we-have-to-build-bridges-of-peace-instead-of-building-walls-of-wars/) [Widad Akrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/widad-akrawi/) > [We didn't build our bridges simply to avoid walking on water. Nothing so obvious. A bridge is a meeting place. A neutral place. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/we-didn-t-build-our-bridges-simply-to-avoid-walking-on-water-nothing/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I like to build bridges... not walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-to-build-bridges-not-walls/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that music is the only thing that is going to change minds and build bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snow-tha-product/i-think-that-music-is-the-only-thing-that-is-going-to-change-minds/) [Snow Tha Product](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snow-tha-product/) > [Throughout my ministry, I have sought to build bridges between Jews and Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/throughout-my-ministry-i-have-sought-to-build-bridges-between-jews/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Looking out at that crowd, I imagined those who had not yet arrived, minority students who, in years to come, would make this multitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/looking-out-at-that-crowd-i-imagined-those-who-had-not-yet-arrived/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [It's fascinating to me how they build bridges or tunnels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/it-s-fascinating-to-me-how-they-build-bridges-or-tunnels/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) > [Americans are at our best when we build bridges between us, not walls around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-swalwell/americans-are-at-our-best-when-we-build-bridges-between-us-not-walls/) [Eric Swalwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-swalwell/) > [Should and would build no bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/should-and-would-build-no-bridges/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [We have to build bridges that are stronger than the bombs that other people might throw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/we-have-to-build-bridges-that-are-stronger-than-the-bombs-that-other/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [I vowed we would defy the national politics of hyperpolarization and partisan divides and instead, build bridges of partnership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/i-vowed-we-would-defy-the-national-politics-of-hyperpolarization-and/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [“With stones, you can build walls to separate people or build bridges to unite them! Do the second thing in the name of ethics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/with-stones-you-can-build-walls-to-separate-people-or-build-bridges/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Each person is an island unto himself, in a very real sense; and he can only build bridges to other islands if he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/each-person-is-an-island-unto-himself-in-a-very-real-sense-and-he-can/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [Instead of building castles against your enemies, build bridges for them to come to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/instead-of-building-castles-against-your-enemies-build-bridges-for/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) ## More by Fred Thompson > [We are always just one successful terrorist attack away from a nuclear disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/we-are-always-just-one-successful-terrorist-attack-away-from-a/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [You can't buy peace by just wishing it and avoiding the challenges that other nations present to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/you-can-t-buy-peace-by-just-wishing-it-and-avoiding-the-challenges/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [The University of North Carolina-Greensboro has ordered a Christian club to allow non-Christians as leaders. While we're at it, let's put high school dropouts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/the-university-of-north-carolina-greensboro-has-ordered-a-christian/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [You can't substitute promise after promise with known violators of prior promises at the expense of protecting ourselves or setting an example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/you-can-t-substitute-promise-after-promise-with-known-violators-of/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [A new report shows that medicare and Medicaid made more than $50 Billion in bad payments during fiscal year 2011. Under Obamacare, that'll become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/a-new-report-shows-that-medicare-and-medicaid-made-more-than-50/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [After two years in Washington, I often long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/after-two-years-in-washington-i-often-long-for-the-realism-and/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [Being a POW certainly doesn't qualify anyone to be president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/being-a-pow-certainly-doesn-t-qualify-anyone-to-be-president/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [In the end, we may be hurting the very people we should be concerned about - the inner-city poor, those who already have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/in-the-end-we-may-be-hurting-the-very-people-we-should-be-concerned/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [Jay Carney told the reporters at his morning briefing that he hoped they would watch the new movie about Obama's first term 'many times.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/jay-carney-told-the-reporters-at-his-morning-briefing-that-he-hoped/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/this-business-will-get-out-of-control-it-will-get-out-of-control-and/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [But if the Chinese mainland, the PRC, attacked Taiwan, we'd be obligated to come to their aid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/but-if-the-chinese-mainland-the-prc-attacked-taiwan-we-d-be-obligated/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [A new report shows that, in Virginia, gun violence has fallen as the sale of firearms has soared to a new record. In other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/a-new-report-shows-that-in-virginia-gun-violence-has-fallen-as-the/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [China is one of the world's greatest proliferators of weapons of mass destruction to these rogue nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/china-is-one-of-the-world-s-greatest-proliferators-of-weapons-of-mass/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [So China will be having to make some choices as to whose side it wants to be on. Hopefully, this will be the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/so-china-will-be-having-to-make-some-choices-as-to-whose-side-it/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [For example, lead paint in old houses can be a greater threat to children's health than lead that may be under some industrial site…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/for-example-lead-paint-in-old-houses-can-be-a-greater-threat-to/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) [Explore all 77 Fred Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) ## More Bridges quotes > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [In my rear view mirror the sun is going down sinking behind bridges in the road and I think of all the good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/in-my-rear-view-mirror-the-sun-is-going-down-sinking-behind-bridges/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you walk, try to think nothing! You can then obtain the silence of a streetlight or a bridge; stop thinking; after that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-walk-try-to-think-nothing-you-can-then-obtain-the-silence-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Al Pacino and Jeff Bridges do it for me in a big way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-scanlon/al-pacino-and-jeff-bridges-do-it-for-me-in-a-big-way/) [Angela Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-scanlon/) > [Instead of building castles against your enemies, build bridges for them to come to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/instead-of-building-castles-against-your-enemies-build-bridges-for/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Each person is an island unto himself, in a very real sense; and he can only build bridges to other islands if he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/each-person-is-an-island-unto-himself-in-a-very-real-sense-and-he-can/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/) [Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/) > [The law ... allows rich as well as poor to sleep under bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-law-allows-rich-as-well-as-poor-to-sleep-under-bridges/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) [Browse all 1,521 Bridges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hopefully, we can build bridges, but we also have to draw lines.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fred Thompson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-also-have-to-draw-lines/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bridges" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-also-have-to-draw-lines/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/fred-thompson-8900_bridges_hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-al_1234597.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/fred-thompson-8900_bridges_hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-al_1234597.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/fred-thompson-8900_bridges_hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-al_1234597.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hopefully, we can build bridges, but we also have to draw lines.” — Fred Thompson", "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": "Fred Thompson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hopefully, we can build bridges, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-also-have-to-draw-lines/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/hopefully-we-can-build-bridges-but-we-also-have-to-draw-lines/#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 } } ] } ```