--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He'd built a wall around his heart to…" description: "\"“He'd built a wall around his heart to protect it, and she was slowly brick by brick, smile by smile, laugh by laugh, kindness by kindness, tearing it ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/lorraine-heath-2089_heart_he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-pr_2274966.jpg" --- # He'd built a wall around his heart to protect it, and she… ![“He'd built a wall around his heart to protect it, and she was slowly brick by brick, smile by smile, laugh by laugh, kindness by kindness, tearing it down. Tomorrow he'd refortify it. Tonight he simply wanted the haven she could provide.” quote by Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/lorraine-heath-2089_heart_he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-pr_2274966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/lorraine-heath-2089_heart_he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-pr_2274966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/lorraine-heath-2089_heart_he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-pr_2274966.jpg) > ““He'd built a wall around his heart to protect it, and she was slowly brick by brick, smile by smile, laugh by laugh, kindness by kindness, tearing it down. Tomorrow he'd refortify it. Tonight he simply wanted the haven she could provide.”” [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man protects his heart with walls, but a woman's kindness gradually dismantles those defenses, offering a safe haven despite his fear of vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Kindness can break down emotional walls. Key Takeaway Allow kindness to erode defensive barriers. Themes vulnerability kindness trust emotional walls healing Mood hopeful empathetic Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - romantic relationships - personal healing - trust building Key Concepts psychology relationship dynamics growth Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance self‑protection with openness? A Different Perspective Will the man ever fully trust after repeated vulnerability? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brick By Brick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brick-by-brick/) [Brick Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brick-smile-5287611/) [Built Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built-wall-557950/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness Tearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-tearing-4060390/) [Smile laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-laugh/) [Tomorrow Refortify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow-refortify-5287612/) [Wall Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-heart-1324276/) ## Related quotes > [I've built a wall around my heart not to block anyone out, but to see who cares about me enough to climb over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-built-a-wall-around-my-heart-not-to-block-anyone-out-but-to-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“path down her cheek. How did she make him understand that his kindness was tearing her apart?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-graykowski/path-down-her-cheek-how-did-she-make-him-understand-that-his-kindness/) [Katie Graykowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-graykowski/) > [I am a strong person. I kept this wall around my heart for years, and you were the first person I let in. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-a-strong-person-i-kept-this-wall-around-my-heart-for-years-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You hurt me, you broke my heart, it might take me some time to get over you but I will, I'll put a brick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-morgan/you-hurt-me-you-broke-my-heart-it-might-take-me-some-time-to-get-over/) [Harriet Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-morgan/) > [“…It is a blank wall, an old wall― a heart burdened by drought and clay: write your name here, but don’t pierce it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-blank-wall-an-old-wall-a-heart-burdened-by-drought-and-clay/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stone by stone, piece by piece, gap by gap, I have made a wall over my heart but damn! its broken up again..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-singh/stone-by-stone-piece-by-piece-gap-by-gap-i-have-made-a-wall-over-my/) [Raj Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-singh/) > [I built a wall around my heart, because I'm honestly afraid ill get hurt again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/i-built-a-wall-around-my-heart-because-i-m-honestly-afraid-ill-get/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" So up he got,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/go-back-he-thought-no-good-at-all-go-sideways-impossible-go-forward-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I don’t know what circumstances occurred in your life for you to build such a strong brick wall around your heart, but I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-carreiro/i-don-t-know-what-circumstances-occurred-in-your-life-for-you-to/) [Tina Carreiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-carreiro/) > [“Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/before-i-built-a-wall-i-d-ask-to-know-what-i-was-walling-in-or-3/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [People who have built a wall around him, never letting anybody inside and trying not to venture outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-who-have-built-a-wall-around-him-never-letting-anybody-inside/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I went through a lot in my life that scarred me pretty good. I built a wall around myself to the point where nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-roberts/i-went-through-a-lot-in-my-life-that-scarred-me-pretty-good-i-built-a/) [Jake Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-roberts/) > [“I've built a wall around me, never letting anybody inside and trying not to venture outside myself. Who could like somebody like that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-ve-built-a-wall-around-me-never-letting-anybody-inside-and-trying/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“I started to built a wall around myself. My way of dealing with other kids became to preemptively push them away. I started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stanley/i-started-to-built-a-wall-around-myself-my-way-of-dealing-with-other/) [Paul Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stanley/) > [People wear masks to see who cares enough to see through it. I built a wall around me to see who would be brave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-wear-masks-to-see-who-cares-enough-to-see-through-it-i-built-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lorraine Heath > [“You know the legend, lady, but you don’t know the man. And damn if I’m not tempted to introduce you to the man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/you-know-the-legend-lady-but-you-don-t-know-the-man-and-damn-if-i-m/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“She laid her palm against his bristled cheek. “You’re safe,” she whispered. “What the hell did you think you were doing?” he growled, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/she-laid-her-palm-against-his-bristled-cheek-you-re-safe-she/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“Her features were exquisite perfection, carved by nature with obvious care and never altered by the harshness of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/her-features-were-exquisite-perfection-carved-by-nature-with-obvious/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“He skidded to a dead halt and stared hard at Austin. The boy’s chin carried so many nicks from his first shave that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-skidded-to-a-dead-halt-and-stared-hard-at-austin-the-boy-s-chin/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Choose well those with whom you travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/choose-well-those-with-whom-you-travel/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“You managed to do the same with my heart, didn’t you, Frannie? You stole it, and I didn’t even feel it happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/you-managed-to-do-the-same-with-my-heart-didn-t-you-frannie-you-stole/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“The one thing I learned in my youth as a grave robber was that everyone looks the same when they're dead. We're all equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/the-one-thing-i-learned-in-my-youth-as-a-grave-robber-was-that/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“She wondered if any of them had truly understood the cost of what they were asking of each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/she-wondered-if-any-of-them-had-truly-understood-the-cost-of-what/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“He could not take what he could never keep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-could-not-take-what-he-could-never-keep/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“Within the shadows of honor, courage often walks in silence. -Engraved on the monument Clay built”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/within-the-shadows-of-honor-courage-often-walks-in-silence-engraved/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“Please," Meg whispered. "I don't want any trouble here." He released his hold on her. As though she might say something further, she parted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/please-meg-whispered-i-don-t-want-any-trouble-here-he-released-his/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“...at the end she’d be nothing more than a memory, if that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/at-the-end-she-d-be-nothing-more-than-a-memory-if-that/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“You think the only battles fought are done so with rifles, and the only wounds that kill draw blood. You think courage is loud,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/you-think-the-only-battles-fought-are-done-so-with-rifles-and-the/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“Somewhere to take shelter from the elements but not the storms of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/somewhere-to-take-shelter-from-the-elements-but-not-the-storms-of-life/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) [Explore all 186 Lorraine Heath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) ## More Heart quotes > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) [Rena Kornreich Gelissen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rena-kornreich-gelissen/) > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/) [Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) [Browse all 45,172 Heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He'd built a wall around his heart to protect it, and she was slowly brick by brick, smile by smile, laugh by laugh, kindness by kindness, tearing it down. Tomorrow he'd refortify it. Tonight he simply wanted the haven she could provide.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lorraine Heath" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-protect-it-and-she-was-slowly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Heart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-protect-it-and-she-was-slowly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/lorraine-heath-2089_heart_he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-pr_2274966.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/lorraine-heath-2089_heart_he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-pr_2274966.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/lorraine-heath-2089_heart_he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-pr_2274966.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He'd built a wall around his heart to protect it, and she was slowly brick by brick, smile by smile, laugh…” — Lorraine Heath", "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": "Lorraine Heath", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He'd built a wall around his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-protect-it-and-she-was-slowly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-d-built-a-wall-around-his-heart-to-protect-it-and-she-was-slowly/#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 } } ] } ```