---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never sit on a freshly painted bench, or…"
description: "\"“Never sit on a freshly painted bench, or stand on a wet wall. That’s a lesson in love I had to learn the sideways way.”\" — Jarod Kintz"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/jarod-kintz-2_love_never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or_2124613.jpg"
---

#  Never sit on a freshly painted bench, or stand on a wet…

![“Never sit on a freshly painted bench, or stand on a wet wall. That’s a lesson in love I had to learn the sideways way.” quote by Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/jarod-kintz-2_love_never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or_2124613.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/jarod-kintz-2_love_never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or_2124613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/jarod-kintz-2_love_never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or_2124613.jpg)

> ““Never sit on a freshly painted bench, or stand on a wet wall. That’s a lesson in love I had to learn the sideways way.””

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

## About This Quote

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

Uses vivid metaphor to describe learning love through indirect, painful experiences.

**In simple terms:** Learning love can be messy and indirect.

Key Takeaway

Embrace unconventional lessons in love.

Themes

love learning experience metaphor growth

Mood

reflective poetic

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- relationships
- personal growth
- creative expression

Key Concepts

emotional intelligence resilience self‑discovery

Questions to Reflect On

- How have you learned love unexpectedly?
- What does “sideways way” mean to you?

A Different Perspective

May overlook positive, direct learning moments.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Learn Sideways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-sideways-4351936/) [Lesson Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson-love-757070/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Sideways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sideways/) [Sideways Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sideways-way-4351937/) [Wall Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-lesson-4351935/)

## Related quotes

> [“When red fights with white, pink is always the winner. Let that be a lesson in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/when-red-fights-with-white-pink-is-always-the-winner-let-that-be-a/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Pants don’t walk without legs in them. Let that be a lesson in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/pants-don-t-walk-without-legs-in-them-let-that-be-a-lesson-in-love/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Don’t search for a void to fill. Find a vacuum to carpet. Let this be a lesson in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/don-t-search-for-a-void-to-fill-find-a-vacuum-to-carpet-let-this-be-a/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“I’m going to go up on my way down. I’m just a sideways sort of person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-going-to-go-up-on-my-way-down-i-m-just-a-sideways-sort-of-person/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“But remember the overall lesson, that your love for others, and their love for you, that the increase of love in life itself around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-remember-the-overall-lesson-that-your-love-for-others-and-their/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

> [“When he was young, the lesson learned from his mother, as much by cuffs as caresses, was that love is action--what you do, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/when-he-was-young-the-lesson-learned-from-his-mother-as-much-by-cuffs/)

[John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/)

> [Sometimes the best way to love someone is to let him fall and be wounded by his wrong choices. Sometimes, pain is the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broken-angel/sometimes-the-best-way-to-love-someone-is-to-let-him-fall-and-be/)

[Broken Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broken-angel/)

> [Some people come into our life as a blessing, while others come into our life as a lesson, so love them for who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-hadid/some-people-come-into-our-life-as-a-blessing-while-others-come-into/)

[Yolanda Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-hadid/)

> [You shout and the valleys shout, or you sing and the valleys sing. Each heart is a valley. If you pour love into it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/you-shout-and-the-valleys-shout-or-you-sing-and-the-valleys-sing-each/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [“Would you not marry even for love?" "Love does not seem to bring anyone much happiness as far as I have observed. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-shinn/would-you-not-marry-even-for-love-love-does-not-seem-to-bring-anyone/)

[Sharon Shinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-shinn/)

> [Love will never get the same lesson. that's why we call it LOVE (Learn On Verified Emotion)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-will-never-get-the-same-lesson-that-s-why-we-call-it-love-learn/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Aloneness is the first lesson of Love. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/aloneness-is-the-first-lesson-of-love/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“Young men learn the lesson of love, after bursting out in anger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-varghese-antony/young-men-learn-the-lesson-of-love-after-bursting-out-in-anger/)

[Vinod Varghese Antony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-varghese-antony/)

> [Every love that comes into your life teaches you a lesson. How to love better, how to give more of yourself, how to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/every-love-that-comes-into-your-life-teaches-you-a-lesson-how-to-love/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [“Mother is her son's first god; she must teach him the most important lesson of all - how to love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/mother-is-her-son-s-first-god-she-must-teach-him-the-most-important/)

[T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/)

## More by Jarod Kintz

> [“I notice when you’re gone. Or do I? How can I observe something that isn’t there?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-notice-when-you-re-gone-or-do-i-how-can-i-observe-something-that/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“I wouldn’t love you if you were the last Sodomite in Gomorrah.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-wouldn-t-love-you-if-you-were-the-last-sodomite-in-gomorrah/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“A blanket could be used to make sweet, sweet music with the love of your life. Hopefully that person is me, because I’ve been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-make-sweet-sweet-music-with-the-love-of/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“A brick could be used to slow down time. Sort of like a camel in a wheelchair pushed by a thirsty Arab. Hey, Khalid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-to-slow-down-time-sort-of-like-a-camel-in-a/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“We have a love so pure that it makes snow seem yellow. (Don’t eat it!)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/we-have-a-love-so-pure-that-it-makes-snow-seem-yellow-don-t-eat-it/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“I hid Mrs. Frozenwater’s body in the ice cube trays in my freezer. Better to keep her there than let her memory thaw out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-hid-mrs-frozenwater-s-body-in-the-ice-cube-trays-in-my-freezer/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Two similar words might lead to two similar ideas. They might also lead to the basement, which I recently converted into a dungeon/torture chamber.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/two-similar-words-might-lead-to-two-similar-ideas-they-might-also/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Nothing is and isn’t; nothing is and isn’t—nothing itself is, and at the same time, nothing isn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/nothing-is-and-isn-t-nothing-is-and-isn-t-nothing-itself-is-and-at/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Embossed letters represent the topography of typography.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/embossed-letters-represent-the-topography-of-typography/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“There’s only one piece of clothing I could eat fast, and that’s a scarf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/there-s-only-one-piece-of-clothing-i-could-eat-fast-and-that-s-a-scarf/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Dora J. Arod is to Jarod Ora, as yes is to yes. Yes is also the correct answer to “Will you marry me?” Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/dora-j-arod-is-to-jarod-ora-as-yes-is-to-yes-yes-is-also-the-correct/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“The best part about being kidnapped is being blindfolded and getting kicked into the trunk of a car. Boy, normally I have to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-best-part-about-being-kidnapped-is-being-blindfolded-and-getting/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“Orafoura once told me that if I were a car, I’d be a Ferrari. One that was scratched smashed, rusted, and stolen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/orafoura-once-told-me-that-if-i-were-a-car-i-d-be-a-ferrari-one-that/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“What makes a good leader? I ask myself this every day, and then as I begin to list off characteristics I realize I’m describing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-makes-a-good-leader-i-ask-myself-this-every-day-and-then-as-i/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“I’d like to file a missing person’s report—on my clone. It’s nearly 2012. He should have been here by now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-d-like-to-file-a-missing-person-s-report-on-my-clone-it-s-nearly/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

[Explore all 6,921 Jarod Kintz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

## More Love quotes

> [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/)

[John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/)

[Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/)

> [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/)

[H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/)

> [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/)

[Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/)

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/)

[Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/)

> [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/)

[Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/)

> [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/)

[Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/)

> [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/)

[Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/)

> [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/)

[George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/)

[Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Never sit on a freshly painted bench, or stand on a wet wall. That’s a lesson in love I had to learn the sideways way.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jarod Kintz"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or-stand-on-a-wet-wall-that-s-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Love"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or-stand-on-a-wet-wall-that-s-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/jarod-kintz-2_love_never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or_2124613.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/jarod-kintz-2_love_never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or_2124613.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/jarod-kintz-2_love_never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or_2124613.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Never sit on a freshly painted bench, or stand on a wet wall. That’s a lesson in love I had to learn the…” — Jarod Kintz",
                "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": "Jarod Kintz",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Never sit on a freshly painted...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or-stand-on-a-wet-wall-that-s-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/never-sit-on-a-freshly-painted-bench-or-stand-on-a-wet-wall-that-s-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
