---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cards on my table and we're both playing…"
description: "\"Cards on my table and we're both playing hearts, risking it all but it's hard.\" — John Legend"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/john-legend-1666_complicated-love_cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing_3044331.png"
---

#  Cards on my table and we're both playing hearts, risking…

![“Cards on my table and we're both playing hearts, risking it all but it's hard.” quote by John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/john-legend-1666_complicated-love_cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing_3044331.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/john-legend-1666_complicated-love_cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing_3044331.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/john-legend-1666_complicated-love_cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing_3044331.png)

> “Cards on my table and we're both playing hearts, risking it all but it's hard.”

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

## About This Quote

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

Balancing love and risk, acknowledging vulnerability in relationships.

**In simple terms:** Love involves risk and vulnerability.

Key Takeaway

Embrace openness despite fear.

Themes

love risk vulnerability

Mood

reflective intimate

Type

lyric conversational

When to use this quote

- dating
- conflict resolution
- personal growth

Key Concepts

relationships emotional honesty

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance love and self‑preservation?
- What fears arise when you open up?

A Different Perspective

Risk can lead to emotional pain if not managed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cards Table](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cards-table-909794/) [Complicated love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated-love/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Hearts Risking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts-risking-5032982/) [Playing Hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-hearts-1715015/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Risk taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-taking/) [Risking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risking/) [Risking Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risking-hard-5032983/) [Song lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-lyrics/)

## Related quotes

> [Sometimes we must be true to someone who loves us instead of playing with their hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yawang/sometimes-we-must-be-true-to-someone-who-loves-us-instead-of-playing/)

[Yawang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yawang/)

> [It is only by risking our persons from one hour to another that we live at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/it-is-only-by-risking-our-persons-from-one-hour-to-another-that-we/)

[William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/)

> [Every dream has a premium price to pay for and an equal amount of risk associated with acting upon it,however the future price for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/every-dream-has-a-premium-price-to-pay-for-and-an-equal-amount-of/)

[Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/)

> [But how will I know who my Soulmate is? By taking the risk - risking failure, disappointment, disillusion, but never ceasing in you search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin/but-how-will-i-know-who-my-soulmate-is-by-taking-the-risk-risking/)

[Alvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin/)

> [One of my unique features as a politician is that I am so blunt and so forthright, and I put my cards on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cuccinelli/one-of-my-unique-features-as-a-politician-is-that-i-am-so-blunt-and/)

[Ken Cuccinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cuccinelli/)

> [When you go into a situation, and you're honest and straight-up about something, you put all your cards on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/when-you-go-into-a-situation-and-you-re-honest-and-straight-up-about/)

[Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/)

> [I would never take any of my cards off the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-would-never-take-any-of-my-cards-off-the-table/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [I never want to sort of put all the cards on the table all at once, because that's somehow there's always a journey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-northam/i-never-want-to-sort-of-put-all-the-cards-on-the-table-all-at-once/)

[Jeremy Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-northam/)

> [-You're simple, straightforward and honest, a little bit on the primitive side, I should think. To interest you a woman would have to... -To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/you-re-simple-straightforward-and-honest-a-little-bit-on-the/)

[Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/)

> [Servant leadership teaches us that you have to lay your cards on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/servant-leadership-teaches-us-that-you-have-to-lay-your-cards-on-the/)

[Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/)

> [“Rather than risking feeling disappointed, they’re choosing to live disappointed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/rather-than-risking-feeling-disappointed-they-re-choosing-to-live/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/)

[Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/)

> [I've said before, the number one thing that we have to work on is protecting the gay community from sharia law. Now, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-friess/i-ve-said-before-the-number-one-thing-that-we-have-to-work-on-is/)

[Foster Friess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foster-friess/)

> [Risking your life is not an easy thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/risking-your-life-is-not-an-easy-thing-to-do/)

[Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/)

> [I firmly believe that you can't get a good movie without risking a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-firmly-believe-that-you-can-t-get-a-good-movie-without-risking-a/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

## More by John Legend

> [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [I guess a lot of times pressure is put on something after it becomes big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-guess-a-lot-of-times-pressure-is-put-on-something-after-it-becomes/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [I don't like going to football games. I like watching them on television. When you go to a game, it's hard to focus. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-don-t-like-going-to-football-games-i-like-watching-them-on/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [There's a lot of hurry up and wait. But it gives you time to write a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/there-s-a-lot-of-hurry-up-and-wait-but-it-gives-you-time-to-write-a/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Fear. People are afraid of talking about their fears and insecurities. They're afraid of expressing emotion beyond anger, dominance, or power, and they're afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/fear-people-are-afraid-of-talking-about-their-fears-and-insecurities/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [When I write, I don't really focus on duets or anything like that, or whether I'm going to feature this or that rapper. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/when-i-write-i-don-t-really-focus-on-duets-or-anything-like-that-or/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [I would tell myself, "Love yourself and don't be afraid to take risks." I was often afraid to take risks, socially, because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-would-tell-myself-love-yourself-and-don-t-be-afraid-to-take-risks-i/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [I never went through a period where I didn't want to play music. I've always loved it and it's always been a huge part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-never-went-through-a-period-where-i-didn-t-want-to-play-music-i-ve/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [All men should be feminists. If men cared about women's rights, the world would be a better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/all-men-should-be-feminists-if-men-cared-about-women-s-rights-the/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [I used read about Dr. King a lot as a kid. Independently, from being assigned it or being told by my parents or anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-used-read-about-dr-king-a-lot-as-a-kid-independently-from-being/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [“All men should be feminists. If men care about women’s rights the world will be a better place. We are better off when women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/all-men-should-be-feminists-if-men-care-about-women-s-rights-the/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Experience is a great teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/experience-is-a-great-teacher/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [This ain't a movie no. No fairy tale conclusion ya'll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/this-ain-t-a-movie-no-no-fairy-tale-conclusion-ya-ll/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

[Explore all 218 John Legend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

## More Complicated love quotes

> [I Never met her,i never talked to her,but in my whole day I am either thinking about her or trying to forget her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhananda/i-never-met-her-i-never-talked-to-her-but-in-my-whole-day-i-am-either/)

[Subhananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhananda/)

> [I'm tired of looking for the perfect guy. From now on.. he can look for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-tired-of-looking-for-the-perfect-guy-from-now-on-he-can-look-for/)

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

> [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [If we are meant to be, no matter what, no matter how long it takes, we will be together. So I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ely/if-we-are-meant-to-be-no-matter-what-no-matter-how-long-it-takes-we/)

[Ely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ely/)

> [I hate playing games. I want love where there's actual flames.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-playing-games-i-want-love-where-there-s-actual-flames/)

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

> [You can't make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved ,the rest is up to the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-make-someone-love-you-all-you-can-do-is-be-someone-who-can/)

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

> [You can only pretend for so long before reality hits and you realize he/she is not who you thought or what you truly want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/you-can-only-pretend-for-so-long-before-reality-hits-and-you-realize/)

[Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/)

> [If it's too hard, walk away. There are a million other people out there who won't make you feel bad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-it-s-too-hard-walk-away-there-are-a-million-other-people-out-there/)

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

> [The saddest part of love life is when you cannot live with or without the one you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-saddest-part-of-love-life-is-when-you-cannot-live-with-or-without/)

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

> [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/)

[Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/)

> [Ive gotten tired of running after you, my eyes swollen from crying over you, my heart sick of loving you. But please dont tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edchelyn/ive-gotten-tired-of-running-after-you-my-eyes-swollen-from-crying/)

[Edchelyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edchelyn/)

> [Being in a relationship is easy.. but maintaining is tough... But keeping your partner always happy is the toughest... If u succeed in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-reghunath/being-in-a-relationship-is-easy-but-maintaining-is-tough-but-keeping/)

[Rahul Reghunath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-reghunath/)

> [Sometimes you have to let go of the one you love to find out if there is really something there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-of-the-one-you-love-to-find-out-if-there/)

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

> [One song Glory One song Before I go Glory One song to leave behind Find one song One last refrain Glory From the pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rent/one-song-glory-one-song-before-i-go-glory-one-song-to-leave-behind/)

[Rent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rent/)

> [Have you noticed we ignore the ones that adore us, adore the ones that ignore us, love the ones that hurt us and hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-you-noticed-we-ignore-the-ones-that-adore-us-adore-the-ones-that/)

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

[Browse all 1,257 Complicated love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated-love/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Cards on my table and we're both playing hearts, risking it all but it's hard.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Legend"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing-hearts-risking-it-all-but-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Complicated love"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing-hearts-risking-it-all-but-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/john-legend-1666_complicated-love_cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing_3044331.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/john-legend-1666_complicated-love_cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing_3044331.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/john-legend-1666_complicated-love_cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing_3044331.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Cards on my table and we're both playing hearts, risking it all but it's hard.” — John Legend",
                "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 Legend",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Cards on my table and we're...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing-hearts-risking-it-all-but-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/cards-on-my-table-and-we-re-both-playing-hearts-risking-it-all-but-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
