--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As his parted lips met mine, I started to…" description: "\"“As his parted lips met mine, I started to feel breathless in a new and fascinating way. The space around us evaporated, and for a weird moment I reall..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/john-green-12_quote_as-his-parted-lips-met-mine-i-started-to_1872160.jpg" --- # As his parted lips met mine, I started to feel breathless… ![“As his parted lips met mine, I started to feel breathless in a new and fascinating way. The space around us evaporated, and for a weird moment I really liked my body; this cancer-ruined thin I'd spent years dragging around suddenly seemed worth the struggle, worth the chest tubes and the PICC…” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/john-green-12_quote_as-his-parted-lips-met-mine-i-started-to_1872160.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/john-green-12_quote_as-his-parted-lips-met-mine-i-started-to_1872160.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/john-green-12_quote_as-his-parted-lips-met-mine-i-started-to_1872160.jpg) > ““As his parted lips met mine, I started to feel breathless in a new and fascinating way. The space around us evaporated, and for a weird moment I really liked my body; this cancer-ruined thin I'd spent years dragging around suddenly seemed worth the struggle, worth the chest tubes and the PICC lines and the ceasless bodliy betrayal of the tumors.”” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator experiences an intense, transformative connection that makes his illness feel meaningful and his body valuable despite suffering. **In simple terms:** A deep connection makes his illness feel worthwhile. Key Takeaway Cherish moments that give purpose despite pain. Themes love illness identity acceptance Mood hopeful intense reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - romantic intimacy - hospital stays - cancer treatment - self‑acceptance Key Concepts existential meaning embodiment transformation Questions to Reflect On - How do fleeting moments reshape your view of chronic illness? - Can love truly outweigh physical suffering? A Different Perspective The feeling may be fleeting and not resolve underlying health challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cancer Ruined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer-ruined-2590841/) [Feel Breathless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-breathless-2212297/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Liked Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked-body-1493415/) [Lips Met](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lips-met/) [Parted Lips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parted-lips-314734/) ## Related quotes > [And then we were kissing. My hand let go of the oxygen cart and I reached up for his neck, and he pulled me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-then-we-were-kissing-my-hand-let-go-of-the-oxygen-cart-and-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“As his parted lips met mine, I started to feel breathless in a new and fascinating way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/as-his-parted-lips-met-mine-i-started-to-feel-breathless-in-a-new-and-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [And then we were kissing…The space around us evaporated, and for a weird moment I rally like my body; this cancer-ruined thing I'd spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-then-we-were-kissing-the-space-around-us-evaporated-and-for-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“When I'm not around you that is when I feel breathless. I liken it to being a fish, and you are my water. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-naeole/when-i-m-not-around-you-that-is-when-i-feel-breathless-i-liken-it-to/) [S.L. Naeole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-l-naeole/) > [“How will I know?" "You'll feel breathless. Your heart will race whenever you're around the other person. It'll burn and feel like it's trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-rose/how-will-i-know-you-ll-feel-breathless-your-heart-will-race-whenever/) [Frankie Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-rose/) > [“I liked your eyes and I could tell that you liked my body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-liked-your-eyes-and-i-could-tell-that-you-liked-my-body/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Before I started training and eating properly, I was never bigger than a big size 10. I always liked my body, I was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-madeley/before-i-started-training-and-eating-properly-i-was-never-bigger-than/) [Chloe Madeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-madeley/) > [I think, in many ways, certain people sought me out maybe because they liked my body language or they liked the way I wore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/i-think-in-many-ways-certain-people-sought-me-out-maybe-because-they/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [“There came a time in every relationship when, if someone had kissed and licked and sucked every part of you enough times, you became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-thomas/there-came-a-time-in-every-relationship-when-if-someone-had-kissed/) [Alessandra Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-thomas/) > [I have always liked my body. Believe me, when I was bigger, I wore whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumi-pednekar/i-have-always-liked-my-body-believe-me-when-i-was-bigger-i-wore/) [Bhumi Pednekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumi-pednekar/) > [“Delicately, she parted her lips, swept them against his, and kissed first his top, then the bottom. Letting her lead, he pinched his brows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-moran/delicately-she-parted-her-lips-swept-them-against-his-and-kissed/) [Kelly Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-moran/) > [“Kiss me again,” he challenged, only half joking. It was so weird to hear him say that, to hear those words out loud. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-derting/kiss-me-again-he-challenged-only-half-joking-it-was-so-weird-to-hear/) [Kimberly Derting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-derting/) > [“She parted her lips as though she were going to scold him, but, after a moment of sitting with her mouth agape like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-brickl/she-parted-her-lips-as-though-she-were-going-to-scold-him-but-after-a/) [Kelsey Brickl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-brickl/) > [Look at me Elise. Tell me what you think I’m feeling,” he murmured, then bent his head to hers and pressed his mouth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/look-at-me-elise-tell-me-what-you-think-i-m-feeling-he-murmured-then/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Again,” Ryan said. “But this time take note of what I’m doing. Slowly.” He smiled. “Okay?” Jamie nodded, licked his moist bottom lip and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-hazard/again-ryan-said-but-this-time-take-note-of-what-i-m-doing-slowly-he/) [Alessandra Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-hazard/) ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Gaze quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. 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Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [“If it makes you feel any better, he’s been all sad doll lately too.” “What are you talking about, Chels?” Chelsea stopped walking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-derting/if-it-makes-you-feel-any-better-he-s-been-all-sad-doll-lately-too/) [Kimberly Derting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-derting/) > [“Rodrigo tried to draw a deep breath, but his chest was too filled with anguish, rage and guilt. He kissed his ash-coated fingers. “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-valdez/rodrigo-tried-to-draw-a-deep-breath-but-his-chest-was-too-filled-with/) [Lisa Valdez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-valdez/) > [“still feel the same way? Could he have changed this much on the inside too? 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