--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This connection had the potential to be…" description: "\"“This connection had the potential to be too special to ruin it with the hurt of misfired romantic intentions. And while half of me wanted to tear his ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/jessica-thompson-14835_connections_this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be_504389.jpg" --- # This connection had the potential to be too special to… ![“This connection had the potential to be too special to ruin it with the hurt of misfired romantic intentions. And while half of me wanted to tear his shirt off with my teeth, I also wanted him to be in my life for the duration. I didn't want him to be the one I avoided because he'd hurt me. If I…” quote by Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/jessica-thompson-14835_connections_this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be_504389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/jessica-thompson-14835_connections_this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be_504389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/jessica-thompson-14835_connections_this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be_504389.jpg) > ““This connection had the potential to be too special to ruin it with the hurt of misfired romantic intentions. And while half of me wanted to tear his shirt off with my teeth, I also wanted him to be in my life for the duration. I didn't want him to be the one I avoided because he'd hurt me. If I was just his friend, then I would still be blessed. If it meant swallowing my pride and being his shoulder when he got hurt, or being the one he ranted at when he was angry, I was prepared to do it with dignity.”” [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker wrestles with intense romantic desire versus the fear of being hurt, choosing loyalty and dignity over selfish passion. **In simple terms:** Balancing love and self‑respect, choosing friendship over risky romance. Key Takeaway Prioritize respect and lasting connection over fleeting desire. Themes love self‑respect friendship vulnerability dignity Mood conflicted hopeful determined Type personal emotional When to use this quote - romantic pursuit - friendship maintenance - self‑sacrifice - emotional resilience Key Concepts emotional conflict attachment theory personal boundaries Questions to Reflect On - Can you love someone without losing yourself? - How do you protect your heart while staying supportive? A Different Perspective Romantic intensity can blind judgment and cause pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“I didn't want him to be the one I avoided because he'd hurt me. If I was just his friend, then I would still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/i-didn-t-want-him-to-be-the-one-i-avoided-because-he-d-hurt-me-if-i/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [Live Well And Be Happy All The Time.. Because, It's The Greatest Revenge For Those Who Avoided And Hurt You..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/live-well-and-be-happy-all-the-time-because-it-s-the-greatest-revenge/) Pacifiersucker > [“I wanted to tear the skin from her face so I could see the blood of a woman who would stand by and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/i-wanted-to-tear-the-skin-from-her-face-so-i-could-see-the-blood-of-a/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“What he had really wanted to do was to tear a hole in his world and escape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/what-he-had-really-wanted-to-do-was-to-tear-a-hole-in-his-world-and/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“What he really wanted was to tear a hole in his world and escape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov-signs-and/what-he-really-wanted-was-to-tear-a-hole-in-his-world-and-escape/) Vladimir Nabokov Signs and > [Synchronicity reveals the meaningful connections between the subjective and objective world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/synchronicity-reveals-the-meaningful-connections-between-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [I love using the latest technologies to make life more efficient, but I don't want to advocate that technology replaces the need to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/i-love-using-the-latest-technologies-to-make-life-more-efficient-but/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [If our homes should provide anything, they should provide a sense of who we are and how we got here, a sense of connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-conran/if-our-homes-should-provide-anything-they-should-provide-a-sense-of/) [Terence Conran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-conran/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [I wouldn't want to play a normal princess who always walks around in nice dresses. I never had a connection to it when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-wouldn-t-want-to-play-a-normal-princess-who-always-walks-around-in/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) ## More by Jessica Thompson > [“There is a little Juliet inside me, hoping I will lock eyes with my Romeo on the other side of a fish tank or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/there-is-a-little-juliet-inside-me-hoping-i-will-lock-eyes-with-my/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“I am a desperate romantic. I love the idea of random collisions of the heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/i-am-a-desperate-romantic-i-love-the-idea-of-random-collisions-of-the/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“That was the awakening, really; it dawned on me that this wasn't really very fair on anyone. On her. On me. On Sienna. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/that-was-the-awakening-really-it-dawned-on-me-that-this-wasn-t-really/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“I believe that love is an overwhelming, all-consuming force, and when it’s genuine you can’t really ignore it. No matter how long it takes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/i-believe-that-love-is-an-overwhelming-all-consuming-force-and-when/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“Basically, while he'll always be a friend to me, I need to get my head around the fact that he'll never be anything more.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/basically-while-he-ll-always-be-a-friend-to-me-i-need-to-get-my-head/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“Somehow I'm still going. I don't know how, and the more I think about this, the more terrifying it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/somehow-i-m-still-going-i-don-t-know-how-and-the-more-i-think-about/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“Sometimes, people need you and it's so scary you push it away when actually you want it to be closer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/sometimes-people-need-you-and-it-s-so-scary-you-push-it-away-when/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“Because the truth is, this is love, and it doesn't matter if you lose everything. Your job. Your home. Your car. Not as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/because-the-truth-is-this-is-love-and-it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-lose/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“She looked different. Oh yes, that was it - I didn't love her anymore. People do look different when you fall out of love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/she-looked-different-oh-yes-that-was-it-i-didn-t-love-her-anymore/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“I'm cautious with the love word because I really know what it means. I've been there, done that and I know what the implications…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/i-m-cautious-with-the-love-word-because-i-really-know-what-it-means-i/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“I still can't help but love Sienna, though, I adore her. looking at her still makes me melt somewhere deep in my soul. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/i-still-can-t-help-but-love-sienna-though-i-adore-her-looking-at-her/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“Heartbroken men are like wild animals, running around with hysteria in their eyes, desperately trying to knock the dents out of their egos. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/heartbroken-men-are-like-wild-animals-running-around-with-hysteria-in/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“People. Mortals, capable of making mistakes. People always make mistakes. Day in, day out. We are experts in the art of the accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/people-mortals-capable-of-making-mistakes-people-always-make-mistakes/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“I'll be honest with you here... I'd describe it as a wild, almost uncontrollable need to be a part of that person's life. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/i-ll-be-honest-with-you-here-i-d-describe-it-as-a-wild-almost/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [“If you're worrying about yourself too much, help someone else who has real worries. Turn your anxiety into something productive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/if-you-re-worrying-about-yourself-too-much-help-someone-else-who-has/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) [Explore all 43 Jessica Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) ## More Connections quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I wouldn't want to play a normal princess who always walks around in nice dresses. I never had a connection to it when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-wouldn-t-want-to-play-a-normal-princess-who-always-walks-around-in/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [If our homes should provide anything, they should provide a sense of who we are and how we got here, a sense of connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-conran/if-our-homes-should-provide-anything-they-should-provide-a-sense-of/) [Terence Conran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-conran/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [I love using the latest technologies to make life more efficient, but I don't want to advocate that technology replaces the need to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/i-love-using-the-latest-technologies-to-make-life-more-efficient-but/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) > [Synchronicity reveals the meaningful connections between the subjective and objective world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/synchronicity-reveals-the-meaningful-connections-between-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Half of the pleasure of painting and feeling the joy of the creative act is sharing it with others and the feeling of connection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/half-of-the-pleasure-of-painting-and-feeling-the-joy-of-the-creative/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [On the road, I try to maintain my connections with friends and family as much as I possibly can. That keeps me pretty grounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-scaggs/on-the-road-i-try-to-maintain-my-connections-with-friends-and-family/) [Noelle Scaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-scaggs/) > [I'm from California, but my father, who passed away when I was young, was from Newark. When I was kid, we would go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-daly/i-m-from-california-but-my-father-who-passed-away-when-i-was-young/) [Carson Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-daly/) > [I'm uninterested in superheroes. I am only interested in real stories, real people, real connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/i-m-uninterested-in-superheroes-i-am-only-interested-in-real-stories/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [Souls love. That’s what souls do. Egos don’t, but souls do. Become a soul, look around, and you’ll be amazed-all the beings around you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/souls-love-that-s-what-souls-do-egos-don-t-but-souls-do-become-a-soul/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) [Browse all 2,951 Connections quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This connection had the potential to be too special to ruin it with the hurt of misfired romantic intentions. And while half of me wanted to tear his shirt off with my teeth, I also wanted him to be in my life for the duration. I didn't want him to be the one I avoided because he'd hurt me. If I was just his friend, then I would still be blessed. If it meant swallowing my pride and being his shoulder when he got hurt, or being the one he ranted at when he was angry, I was prepared to do it with dignity.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jessica Thompson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be-too-special-to-ruin-it-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Connections" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be-too-special-to-ruin-it-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/jessica-thompson-14835_connections_this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be_504389.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/jessica-thompson-14835_connections_this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be_504389.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ba/jessica-thompson-14835_connections_this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be_504389.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This connection had the potential to be too special to ruin it with the hurt of misfired romantic…” — Jessica 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": "Jessica Thompson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“This connection had the potential to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be-too-special-to-ruin-it-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/this-connection-had-the-potential-to-be-too-special-to-ruin-it-with/#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 } } ] } ```