--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You would not ask someone with a broken…" description: "\"You would not ask someone with a broken arm to swim the English Channel, so you cannot demand that the broken to live as if they were whole.\" — John El..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/john-eldredge-1487_arms_you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken_2053281.png" --- # You would not ask someone with a broken arm to swim the… ![“You would not ask someone with a broken arm to swim the English Channel, so you cannot demand that the broken to live as if they were whole.” quote by John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/john-eldredge-1487_arms_you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken_2053281.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/john-eldredge-1487_arms_you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken_2053281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/john-eldredge-1487_arms_you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken_2053281.png) > “You would not ask someone with a broken arm to swim the English Channel, so you cannot demand that the broken to live as if they were whole.” [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People with trauma cannot be expected to perform as if they are fully healed; compassion requires realistic expectations. **In simple terms:** Don’t demand the whole from the broken. Key Takeaway Show empathy and adjust expectations. Themes compassion healing realism Mood empathetic supportive Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - counseling - workplace accommodations - family dynamics - friendship Key Concepts trauma expectations support Questions to Reflect On - How can you support someone’s healing journey? - What realistic goals can you set together? A Different Perspective Healing is possible; avoid using trauma as excuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brokenness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brokenness/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Regeneration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regeneration/) [Restoration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restoration/) ## Related quotes > [“Bay of Biscay and so down the English Channel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-cartland/bay-of-biscay-and-so-down-the-english-channel/) [Barbara Cartland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-cartland/) > [If you want to swim across the English Channel from England to France - you have to leave your doubt on the beach in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-gordon/if-you-want-to-swim-across-the-english-channel-from-england-to-france/) [Lewis Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-gordon/) > [For previous generations, swimming the English Channel was the feat to accomplish. And that's been done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-nyad/for-previous-generations-swimming-the-english-channel-was-the-feat-to/) [Diana Nyad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-nyad/) > [“. It’s a weird feeling, broken. I expected to look and see bones sticking out all over my body, as normal as a broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-amaro/it-s-a-weird-feeling-broken-i-expected-to-look-and-see-bones-sticking/) [Patricia Amaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-amaro/) > [In New York in 1915 I bought at a hardware store a snow shovel on which I wrote in advance of the broken arm .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/in-new-york-in-1915-i-bought-at-a-hardware-store-a-snow-shovel-on/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [My heart is broken my arm has scars and my smile got lost in the mist of all of it I'm just a huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie/my-heart-is-broken-my-arm-has-scars-and-my-smile-got-lost-in-the-mist/) [Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie/) > [“Nobody has ever killed themselves over a broken arm. But every day, thousands of people kill themselves because of a broken heart. Why? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/nobody-has-ever-killed-themselves-over-a-broken-arm-but-every-day/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [It's hard to play with a broken arm. It's hard to run with a broken leg. Therefore, it's hard to love with a broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-adams/it-s-hard-to-play-with-a-broken-arm-it-s-hard-to-run-with-a-broken/) [DJ Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-adams/) > [“If I break my arm and If you break your arm too Then it is fun to have a broken arm...We show everybody and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandol-stoddard/if-i-break-my-arm-and-if-you-break-your-arm-too-then-it-is-fun-to/) Sandol Stoddard > [“Yes of course there's always someone worse off than you. But imagine you're in a doctor's surgery with a broken arm. The person next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-webb/yes-of-course-there-s-always-someone-worse-off-than-you-but-imagine/) [Robert Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-webb/) > [Mental health is not a novelty; it's part of who we are and we need to treat it as if it were a broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/mental-health-is-not-a-novelty-it-s-part-of-who-we-are-and-we-need-to/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [If it's a broken part, replace it. If it's a broken arm then brace it. If it's a broken heart, then face it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/if-it-s-a-broken-part-replace-it-if-it-s-a-broken-arm-then-brace-it/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I don't mind getting a black eye, or a broken arm for my girl, as long as she's there to kiss it after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/i-don-t-mind-getting-a-black-eye-or-a-broken-arm-for-my-girl-as-long/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) > [A lot of my clients say they don't deserve to mope about their sad little memories while children are starving in India. I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/a-lot-of-my-clients-say-they-don-t-deserve-to-mope-about-their-sad/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [I think many people can relate to that excruciating pain of love gone wrong. I'd rather have a broken arm than a broken heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-brinkley/i-think-many-people-can-relate-to-that-excruciating-pain-of-love-gone/) [Christie Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-brinkley/) ## More by John Eldredge > [To find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/to-find-god-you-must-look-with-all-your-heart-to-remain-present-to/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [ “There is a satisfaction we don't want to come to until we come to it in God…\[Disappointments\] serve to remind us every day that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/there-is-a-satisfaction-we-don-t-want-to-come-to-until-we-come-to-it/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The early Celtic Christians called the Holy Spirit 'the wild goose.' And the reason why is they knew that you cannot tame him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-early-celtic-christians-called-the-holy-spirit-the-wild-goose-and/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The real you is on the side of God against the false self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-real-you-is-on-the-side-of-god-against-the-false-self/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“The authors challenge that the marriage in which one cannot express disappointment has become an idol – The Thing that Cannot Be Questioned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-authors-challenge-that-the-marriage-in-which-one-cannot-express/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [A man's calling is written on his true heart, and he discovers it when he enters the frontier of his deep desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/a-man-s-calling-is-written-on-his-true-heart-and-he-discovers-it-when/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [In the end, it doesn’t matter how well we have performed or what we have accomplished—a life without heart is not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/in-the-end-it-doesn-t-matter-how-well-we-have-performed-or-what-we/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [Whatever their age, most men have never received true fathering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/whatever-their-age-most-men-have-never-received-true-fathering/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [I'm married. I have three children. I have a mortgage to pay. The plumbing breaks and the yard needs trimming. However, what my wife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/i-m-married-i-have-three-children-i-have-a-mortgage-to-pay-the/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“He is on a mission to rescue a people who are so utterly deceived most of them don’t even want to be rescued.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/he-is-on-a-mission-to-rescue-a-people-who-are-so-utterly-deceived/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“Something has gone wrong in us, very wrong indeed. So wrong that we have to be told that joy is found not in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/something-has-gone-wrong-in-us-very-wrong-indeed-so-wrong-that-we/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“We don’t need accountability groups; we need fellow warriors, someone to fight alongside, someone to watch our back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-don-t-need-accountability-groups-we-need-fellow-warriors-someone/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [We don't see clearly because we don't see with the eyes of our heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-don-t-see-clearly-because-we-don-t-see-with-the-eyes-of-our-heart/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-story-of-your-life-is-the-story-of-the-long-and-brutal-assault-on/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [I have a call to speak, to write, to do sort of deep-heart surgery in people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/i-have-a-call-to-speak-to-write-to-do-sort-of-deep-heart-surgery-in/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) [Explore all 233 John Eldredge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You would not ask someone with a broken arm to swim the English Channel, so you cannot demand that the broken to live as if they were whole.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Eldredge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken-arm-to-swim-the-english/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken-arm-to-swim-the-english/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/john-eldredge-1487_arms_you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken_2053281.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/john-eldredge-1487_arms_you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken_2053281.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/john-eldredge-1487_arms_you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken_2053281.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You would not ask someone with a broken arm to swim the English Channel, so you cannot demand that the…” — John Eldredge", "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": "John Eldredge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You would not ask someone with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken-arm-to-swim-the-english/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/you-would-not-ask-someone-with-a-broken-arm-to-swim-the-english/#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 } } ] } ```