--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His smile was small and fierce as he…" description: "\"“His smile was small and fierce as he leaned forward into Neil's space. \"Remember this feeling. This is the moment you stop being the rabbit.\" Neil”\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/nora-sakavic-1309_feeling-moment_his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-lea_93900.jpg" --- # His smile was small and fierce as he leaned forward into… ![“His smile was small and fierce as he leaned forward into Neil's space. "Remember this feeling. This is the moment you stop being the rabbit." Neil” quote by Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/nora-sakavic-1309_feeling-moment_his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-lea_93900.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/nora-sakavic-1309_feeling-moment_his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-lea_93900.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/nora-sakavic-1309_feeling-moment_his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-lea_93900.jpg) > ““His smile was small and fierce as he leaned forward into Neil's space. "Remember this feeling. This is the moment you stop being the rabbit." Neil”” [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A mentor urges the learner to seize the moment, shedding passive victimhood for active agency. **In simple terms:** Stop being a passive observer. Key Takeaway Courage redefines identity. Themes Mentorship Courage Identity Agency Transformation Mood intense empowering Type Dialogic Motivational When to use this quote - Coaching session - Therapeutic breakthrough - Character development in fiction Key Concepts Self‑actualization Power dynamics Practical Applications - Motivational speech - Character arc catalyst Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to stop being the rabbit? - How can we balance assertiveness with humility? A Different Perspective Emphasizing aggression may overlook the value of patience and reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feeling Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-moment-410973/) [Leaned Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaned-forward-599771/) [Neil Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neil-space-1157287/) [Rabbit Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rabbit-neil-1157286/) [Remember Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-feeling/) ## Related quotes > [“His forehead tipped forward, and before I could react, before he said another word to me, he leaned forward, forward, forward and pressed his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-zapata/his-forehead-tipped-forward-and-before-i-could-react-before-he-said/) [Mariana Zapata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-zapata/) > [I leaned forward on the table and leveled her with my steady gaze. “Do not ever speak to her that way again. If she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/i-leaned-forward-on-the-table-and-leveled-her-with-my-steady-gaze-do/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [“Jerusha leaned forward watching with curiosity - and a touch of wistfulness - the stream of carriages and automobiles that rolled out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-webster/jerusha-leaned-forward-watching-with-curiosity-and-a-touch-of/) [Jean Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-webster/) > [“Miss Barry, who was sitting behind them, leaned forward and poked Marilla in the back with her parasol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/miss-barry-who-was-sitting-behind-them-leaned-forward-and-poked/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“He leaned forward and said, "Tell me, friend. Is there more for us?" I looked down at my feet. "There's everything for us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/he-leaned-forward-and-said-tell-me-friend-is-there-more-for-us-i/) [Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/) > [“I rested my chin on my shoulder, not quite fully looking at his face. "They don't disgust you?" I whispered, my voice shaking. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keary-taylor/i-rested-my-chin-on-my-shoulder-not-quite-fully-looking-at-his-face/) [Keary Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keary-taylor/) > [“I didn’t let myself think. I just leaned forward and pressed my lips to his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-didn-t-let-myself-think-i-just-leaned-forward-and-pressed-my-lips/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“On a breath, he leaned forward. It was such a small space to close. Such an infinite distance to cross.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/on-a-breath-he-leaned-forward-it-was-such-a-small-space-to-close-such/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Smitty leaned forward, resting his arms on this raised knees. "I am fixin' to get mad, Jessie. "You're fixin' to get mad?" "Yeah." "Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/smitty-leaned-forward-resting-his-arms-on-this-raised-knees-i-am/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [“She leaned forward. He thought she might kiss him, but she simply touched her forehead to his. "You have a very nice cock, Sir."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tymber-dalton/she-leaned-forward-he-thought-she-might-kiss-him-but-she-simply/) [Tymber Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tymber-dalton/) > [“I leaned forward in the rather roomy interior of the passenger seat. “Ever get fucked in the ass?” I was just curious. Honest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cox/i-leaned-forward-in-the-rather-roomy-interior-of-the-passenger-seat/) [James Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cox/) > [“When she leaned forward to mess with the AC vents, her hair brushed against my leg and it was really soft. It made remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/when-she-leaned-forward-to-mess-with-the-ac-vents-her-hair-brushed/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“Will leaned forward and gave her his warmest smile, the kind that could charm the scales off a fish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shukyou/will-leaned-forward-and-gave-her-his-warmest-smile-the-kind-that/) [shukyou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shukyou/) > [“going to die.” He leaned forward and whispered, “You know, sometimes I think I could go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-gunhus/going-to-die-he-leaned-forward-and-whispered-you-know-sometimes-i/) [Jeff Gunhus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-gunhus/) > [“Undeterred by his lack of enthusiasm, she leaned forward, flashing him a set of breasts that didn't so much defy gravity as flip it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/undeterred-by-his-lack-of-enthusiasm-she-leaned-forward-flashing-him/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) ## More by Nora Sakavic > [“It had been nine months since Riko Moriyama and Kevin Day stood in the same room together, nine months since Riko destroyed Kevin's hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/it-had-been-nine-months-since-riko-moriyama-and-kevin-day-stood-in/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“You gave me a key and called it home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/you-gave-me-a-key-and-called-it-home/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Neil looked down at the key in his hand. "Home," he whispered, needing to hear it aloud. It was a foreign concept to him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/neil-looked-down-at-the-key-in-his-hand-home-he-whispered-needing-to/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Can you believe it?" he asked, amazed. "We are such hot shit sometimes!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/can-you-believe-it-he-asked-amazed-we-are-such-hot-shit-sometimes/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“I got these in a fight," Neil said. "Why would Andrew do this to me?" "Uh, you don't know,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/i-got-these-in-a-fight-neil-said-why-would-andrew-do-this-to-me-uh/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“The master wants to salvage you. He's going to sign you to the Raven lineup in spring. So long as you keep quiet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/the-master-wants-to-salvage-you-he-s-going-to-sign-you-to-the-raven/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“UT is second-ranked, and they have been second in their region for the past five years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/ut-is-second-ranked-and-they-have-been-second-in-their-region-for-the/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Technically a team could lose both games and still advance, but that hadn't happened in years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/technically-a-team-could-lose-both-games-and-still-advance-but-that/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Round one: southeast versus southwest." Wymack picked up his clipboard and skimmed the top page. "Odd-ranked teams play on Thursdays this year, so we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/round-one-southeast-versus-southwest-wymack-picked-up-his-clipboard/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Kevin's not allowed to drive your car but Renee is?" Neil asked. "It's fun telling Kevin no," Andrew said with a wicked grin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/kevin-s-not-allowed-to-drive-your-car-but-renee-is-neil-asked-it-s/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“He looked for his racquet first and was relieved to find it right where he left it. On the heels of relief was confusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/he-looked-for-his-racquet-first-and-was-relieved-to-find-it-right/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Just because Kevin didn't remember Neil didn't mean Riko wouldn't either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/just-because-kevin-didn-t-remember-neil-didn-t-mean-riko-wouldn-t/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Neil looked at Kevin, then Wymack, wondering why no one had told him Andrew had an eidetic memory,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/neil-looked-at-kevin-then-wymack-wondering-why-no-one-had-told-him/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“As he slipped the lock into place again he realized his hand was trembling. He held up his shaky fingers where he could see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/as-he-slipped-the-lock-into-place-again-he-realized-his-hand-was/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“But you know what?" Neil said before the reporters could respond. "That's petty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/but-you-know-what-neil-said-before-the-reporters-could-respond-that-s/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) [Explore all 258 Nora Sakavic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) ## More Feeling Moment quotes > [“I’ve found it takes at least two and generally three things to alter the course of a life: You slip around the truth once,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hamilton/i-ve-found-it-takes-at-least-two-and-generally-three-things-to-alter/) [Jane Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hamilton/) > [“What is it about the moment you fall in love? How can such small measure of time contain such enormity? I suddenly realize why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/what-is-it-about-the-moment-you-fall-in-love-how-can-such-small/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I hesitate to speak about what the character's feeling in a moment just simply because I don't wanna rob the audience of the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-barbaro/i-hesitate-to-speak-about-what-the-character-s-feeling-in-a-moment/) [Monica Barbaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-barbaro/) > [I think that's the thing I learned at 'Saturday Night Live' - any time I would try and strategize, I would always, always fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-think-that-s-the-thing-i-learned-at-saturday-night-live-any-time-i/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [“But the truth is that the only reason I could understand what I was feeling in that moment was because I had spent years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-miranda/but-the-truth-is-that-the-only-reason-i-could-understand-what-i-was/) [Megan Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-miranda/) > [“Rather than feeling that every moment you’ve got to exert this enormous control, you can take the attitude that your job as a writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dybek/rather-than-feeling-that-every-moment-you-ve-got-to-exert-this/) [Stuart Dybek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dybek/) > [You can over complicate everything with techniques; when you're in the moment, you have to feel that you are that character, that you're feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/you-can-over-complicate-everything-with-techniques-when-you-re-in-the/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [Crucial to how we feel is being aware of how we are feeling in the moment. The sine qua non of that is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/crucial-to-how-we-feel-is-being-aware-of-how-we-are-feeling-in-the/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [It may seem paradoxical to say that we have been expelled from the present, but it is a feeling we have all had at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/it-may-seem-paradoxical-to-say-that-we-have-been-expelled-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [“She had believed him to be hers, time and again, but still she could not stay the feeling that he might at any moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-godbersen/she-had-believed-him-to-be-hers-time-and-again-but-still-she-could/) [Anna Godbersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-godbersen/) > [I'm a strong-headed person, and you can always tell how I'm feeling in that moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-wagner/i-m-a-strong-headed-person-and-you-can-always-tell-how-i-m-feeling-in/) [Ashley Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-wagner/) > [My feeling is the moment the theatre is not full you have to do something else. But most people somehow think 'If we did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/my-feeling-is-the-moment-the-theatre-is-not-full-you-have-to-do/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [There’s not a better feeling than when you have found that moment of balance and harmony when both running and life come together. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-benoit/there-s-not-a-better-feeling-than-when-you-have-found-that-moment-of/) [Joan Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-benoit/) > [“Love makes you feel out of the the world so does the hydrogen bomb.just the difference between them is there way of letting us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sagar-ohlyan/love-makes-you-feel-out-of-the-the-world-so-does-the-hydrogen-bomb/) [Sagar Ohlyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sagar-ohlyan/) > [Understanding comes about through feeling, from moment to moment in the mirror of relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/understanding-comes-about-through-feeling-from-moment-to-moment-in/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) [Browse all 33 Feeling Moment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-moment-410973/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“His smile was small and fierce as he leaned forward into Neil's space. \"Remember this feeling. This is the moment you stop being the rabbit.\" Neil”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nora Sakavic" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-leaned-forward-into-neil-s-space/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feeling Moment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-leaned-forward-into-neil-s-space/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/nora-sakavic-1309_feeling-moment_his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-lea_93900.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/nora-sakavic-1309_feeling-moment_his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-lea_93900.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/nora-sakavic-1309_feeling-moment_his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-lea_93900.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“His smile was small and fierce as he leaned forward into Neil's space. \"Remember this feeling. This is the…” — Nora Sakavic", "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": "Nora Sakavic", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“His smile was small and fierce...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-leaned-forward-into-neil-s-space/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/his-smile-was-small-and-fierce-as-he-leaned-forward-into-neil-s-space/#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 } } ] } ```