--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I can respond, he takes his hand…" description: "\"“Before I can respond, he takes his hand from behind his back. Holds it out to me. And I break, into a million invisible pieces. He looks up from me to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/568/jessi-kirby-10504_sunflower_before-i-can-respond-he-takes-his-hand-f_1846477.png" --- # Before I can respond, he takes his hand from behind his… ![“Before I can respond, he takes his hand from behind his back. Holds it out to me. And I break, into a million invisible pieces. He looks up from me to the sunflower in his hand and back again. "Um...” quote by Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/568/jessi-kirby-10504_sunflower_before-i-can-respond-he-takes-his-hand-f_1846477.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/568/jessi-kirby-10504_sunflower_before-i-can-respond-he-takes-his-hand-f_1846477.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/568/jessi-kirby-10504_sunflower_before-i-can-respond-he-takes-his-hand-f_1846477.png) > ““Before I can respond, he takes his hand from behind his back. Holds it out to me. And I break, into a million invisible pieces. He looks up from me to the sunflower in his hand and back again. "Um...”” [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A moment of vulnerability is revealed through a symbolic gesture, exposing hidden emotional fractures. **In simple terms:** A gesture shows deep vulnerability. Key Takeaway Allow yourself to be seen when broken. Themes vulnerability symbolism emotional exposure Mood somber reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - intimate conversation - conflict resolution - personal healing Key Concepts psychology human connection Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect yourself after exposing pain? - What does the sunflower symbolize for you? A Different Perspective The gesture may be misinterpreted as weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Looks Sunflower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks-sunflower-2393287/) [Respond Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respond-takes-2393288/) [Sunflower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunflower/) [Sunflower Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunflower-hand-2393286/) [Takes Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-hand-633085/) [Woah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woah-207793/) ## Related quotes > [“People who try to bring you down are already lower than you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-h/people-who-try-to-bring-you-down-are-already-lower-than-you/) [Mackenzie .H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-h/) > [“Sethe, he says, "me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow." He leans over and takes her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/sethe-he-says-me-and-you-we-got-more-yesterday-than-anybody-we-need/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Comes a Time when the blind man takes your hand says DON'T YOU SEE?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/comes-a-time-when-the-blind-man-takes-your-hand-says-don-t-you-see/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [“My mouth drops when she slides his hoodie off and pushes her fingers into his dark locks that are cut short on the sides,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-mclaughlin/my-mouth-drops-when-she-slides-his-hoodie-off-and-pushes-her-fingers/) [Heidi McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-mclaughlin/) > [“He takes my hand. Intertwines our fingers. Offers me a smile that manages to kiss my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/he-takes-my-hand-intertwines-our-fingers-offers-me-a-smile-that/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“when death takes my hand i will hold you with the other and promise to find you in every lifetime”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/when-death-takes-my-hand-i-will-hold-you-with-the-other-and-promise/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [“She takes my hand, kissing each finger, each knuckle and my pulse throbs inside my wrist. “Please. We already know each other, so well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-brewer/she-takes-my-hand-kissing-each-finger-each-knuckle-and-my-pulse/) [Annie Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-brewer/) > [“Go with me." Jordan suddenly reaches over and takes my hand again. I look up, surprised by his boldness. "I know. It doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-talbert-moore/go-with-me-jordan-suddenly-reaches-over-and-takes-my-hand-again-i/) [Leigh Talbert Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-talbert-moore/) > [“Your death taps you on the shoulder, or takes your hand, and says, ‘Come along o’ me, it’s time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/your-death-taps-you-on-the-shoulder-or-takes-your-hand-and-says-come/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [The sense of being led by an unseen hand which takes mine, while another hand reaches ahead and prepares the way, grows upon me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-laubach/the-sense-of-being-led-by-an-unseen-hand-which-takes-mine-while/) [Frank Laubach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-laubach/) > [“Now Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river She is wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/now-suzanne-takes-your-hand-and-she-leads-you-to-the-river-she-is/) [leonard cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“There is no such thing as the love of your life, that’s bullshit. There are only men you will love for varying amounts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-bolouri/there-is-no-such-thing-as-the-love-of-your-life-that-s-bullshit-there/) [Joanna Bolouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-bolouri/) > [“He takes her hand and they leave. There's a taxi outside and they go to her room without saying anything. Behind the door, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/he-takes-her-hand-and-they-leave-there-s-a-taxi-outside-and-they-go/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [Well, the one thing I've thought about is having dad give me away. You know when he takes your hand and he puts it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/well-the-one-thing-i-ve-thought-about-is-having-dad-give-me-away-you/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [“My favorite of all God's gifts takes my hand, and the contact flows through all of me, singing in my veins like red wine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sparrow-ausoleil/my-favorite-of-all-god-s-gifts-takes-my-hand-and-the-contact-flows/) [Sparrow AuSoleil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sparrow-ausoleil/) ## More by Jessi Kirby > [“I can't promise the universe is gonna tell you what to do with your life up there. But if you can keep quiet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/i-can-t-promise-the-universe-is-gonna-tell-you-what-to-do-with-your/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [That’s what seems the most sad to me—that neither of them even think there’s a possibility they can be together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/that-s-what-seems-the-most-sad-to-me-that-neither-of-them-even-think/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“Little things become big things when your body has been broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/little-things-become-big-things-when-your-body-has-been-broken/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“Finn told me once, as we sat on the porch watching the sun go down, that one thing he remembered our mom telling him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/finn-told-me-once-as-we-sat-on-the-porch-watching-the-sun-go-down/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“And the whole time I was pleading with fate, or chance, or whatever, for him to find me. Just find me again. Find me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/and-the-whole-time-i-was-pleading-with-fate-or-chance-or-whatever-for/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [We're all more than the person we show to everyone else. At least I hope so. Because I feel like there's more to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/we-re-all-more-than-the-person-we-show-to-everyone-else-at-least-i/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“Some things need to be said. And sometimes they require strong words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/some-things-need-to-be-said-and-sometimes-they-require-strong-words/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“Suspended as we were, with no horizon line or landscape or anything else to draw a separation between the water and the sky, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/suspended-as-we-were-with-no-horizon-line-or-landscape-or-anything/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“I can't go back. just like with everything else in my life. All I can do at this point is keep going forward. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/i-can-t-go-back-just-like-with-everything-else-in-my-life-all-i-can/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“Because that's the worse. That's worse than growing apart, or falling out of love, or even lying. Being with someone because you feel guilty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/because-that-s-the-worse-that-s-worse-than-growing-apart-or-falling/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [Life is made of moments and choices. Not all of them matter, or have any lasting impact Then there's a different kind of moment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/life-is-made-of-moments-and-choices-not-all-of-them-matter-or-have/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“After a minute I leaned back, elbows on the table, and looked up for the twinkle of the first star in the evening sky.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/after-a-minute-i-leaned-back-elbows-on-the-table-and-looked-up-for/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“Everyone wants the people to end up together in the end. It's human nature. The funny thing is, you always know they're going to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/everyone-wants-the-people-to-end-up-together-in-the-end-it-s-human/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“In three words I can sum up all that I've learned about: It goes on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/in-three-words-i-can-sum-up-all-that-i-ve-learned-about-it-goes-on/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“A moment was all it took to change everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/a-moment-was-all-it-took-to-change-everything/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) [Explore all 65 Jessi Kirby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) ## More Sunflower quotes > [Because a rose can never be a sunflower, and a sunflower can never be a rose,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/because-a-rose-can-never-be-a-sunflower-and-a-sunflower-can-never-be/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [The cops drive by to do some more good deeds A young black male spits a sunflower seed in the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dred-scott/the-cops-drive-by-to-do-some-more-good-deeds-a-young-black-male-spits/) [Dred Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dred-scott/) > [I am painting with the same enthusiasm as a Marseillaise eats bouillabaisse ... I am painting big sunflowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-am-painting-with-the-same-enthusiasm-as-a-marseillaise-eats/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I'm thinking waiters and waitresses are going to be bracing for more customers coming in going, not just kind of where is that beef…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moss/i-m-thinking-waiters-and-waitresses-are-going-to-be-bracing-for-more/) [Michael Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moss/) > [My work is the world. Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird - equal seekers of sweetness. Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/my-work-is-the-world-here-the-sunflowers-there-the-hummingbird-equal/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“She is a sunflower! She brings hope to people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/she-is-a-sunflower-she-brings-hope-to-people/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [My will broke at the sound of his voice, and my head turned with as much inevitability as a sunflower turning its face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/my-will-broke-at-the-sound-of-his-voice-and-my-head-turned-with-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Does she realize she looks like a sunflower, ready to rain sunlight on all who look down upon her?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/does-she-realize-she-looks-like-a-sunflower-ready-to-rain-sunlight-on/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [The Sunflow'r, thinking 'twas for him foul shame To nap by daylight, strove t' excuse the blame; It was not sleep that made him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-cowley/the-sunflow-r-thinking-twas-for-him-foul-shame-to-nap-by-daylight/) [Abraham Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-cowley/) > [The splendor of a human heart that trusts it is loved unconditionally gives God more pleasure than Westminster Cathedral, the Sistine Chapel, Beethoven’s “Ninth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-splendor-of-a-human-heart-that-trusts-it-is-loved-unconditionally/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > […we’re all beautiful golden sunflowers inside, we’re all blessed by our own seed & golden hairy naked accomplishment (Sunflower Sutra)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/we-re-all-beautiful-golden-sunflowers-inside-we-re-all-blessed-by-our/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [“Mom has a massive sunflower for a soul so big there's hardly any room in her for organs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/mom-has-a-massive-sunflower-for-a-soul-so-big-there-s-hardly-any-room/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [Restless sunflower; cease to move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-calder-n-de-la-barca/restless-sunflower-cease-to-move/) [Pedro Calderon de la Barca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-calder-n-de-la-barca/) > [From the animist point of view, humans belong in a sacred place because they themselves are sacred. Not sacred in a special way, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/from-the-animist-point-of-view-humans-belong-in-a-sacred-place/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“You are touching so many people's lives. You are a Sunflower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/you-are-touching-so-many-people-s-lives-you-are-a-sunflower/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) [Browse all 103 Sunflower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunflower/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Before I can respond, he takes his hand from behind his back. Holds it out to me. And I break, into a million invisible pieces. 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