--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst prison would be a closed heart." description: "\"The worst prison would be a closed heart.\" — Pope John Paul II" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/pope-john-paul-ii-485_closed_the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart_3229966.jpg" --- # The worst prison would be a closed heart. ![“The worst prison would be a closed heart.” quote by Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/pope-john-paul-ii-485_closed_the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart_3229966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/pope-john-paul-ii-485_closed_the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart_3229966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/pope-john-paul-ii-485_closed_the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart_3229966.jpg) > “The worst prison would be a closed heart.” [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A closed heart is like imprisonment, restricting love and freedom. **In simple terms:** A closed heart feels like a prison. Key Takeaway Open your heart to avoid feeling trapped. Themes love freedom emotional health Mood hopeful serious Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - marriage counseling - personal trauma - spiritual practice Key Concepts spirituality psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does a closed heart prevent? - Can openness be risky? A Different Perspective Opening up can also expose vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) ## Related quotes > [The worst prison would be a closed mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-mind/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [“I closed the book and closed my heart along with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/staci-hart/i-closed-the-book-and-closed-my-heart-along-with-it/) [Staci Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/staci-hart/) > [The worst prison is not made of metal bars. The worst prison is when your internal reality does not match your external reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin/the-worst-prison-is-not-made-of-metal-bars-the-worst-prison-is-when/) [Yasmin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin/) > [The worst of prison life, he thought, was not being able to close his door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/the-worst-of-prison-life-he-thought-was-not-being-able-to-close-his/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [The worst prison is not of stone. It is of a throbbing heart, outraged by an infamous life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-worst-prison-is-not-of-stone-it-is-of-a-throbbing-heart-outraged/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Neither the dissipations of the past--and she had lived very much in the world, nor the restrictions of the present; neither sickness nor sorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/neither-the-dissipations-of-the-past-and-she-had-lived-very-much-in/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [The heart will listen when the eyes are closed. The heart will hear when the mind is shut. The heart will move you when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kall/the-heart-will-listen-when-the-eyes-are-closed-the-heart-will-hear/) [Rob Kall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kall/) > [We live in a self-organizing and self-correcting universe. For every problem, there is a potentially miraculous solution. A closed heart deflects the miracle, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/we-live-in-a-self-organizing-and-self-correcting-universe-for-every/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“A closed fist cannot give. How can one give when the fist is closed? Yet, most people approach relationships with a closed heart. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-uchendu/a-closed-fist-cannot-give-how-can-one-give-when-the-fist-is-closed/) [Val Uchendu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-uchendu/) > [I've closed my heart down, so many seasons. I didn't want to hurt again, I didn't want to try, so I turned myself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-nielsen-chapman/i-ve-closed-my-heart-down-so-many-seasons-i-didn-t-want-to-hurt-again/) [Beth Nielsen Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-nielsen-chapman/) > [Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens ªª«ª«](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee/music-acts-like-a-magic-key-to-which-the-most-tightly-closed-heart-2/) [Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee/) > [Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-von-trapp/music-acts-like-a-magic-key-to-which-the-most-tightly-closed-heart/) [Maria von Trapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-von-trapp/) > [You can't sing with a closed heart. You just can't do it. And if you try, as soon as you start singing, your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deva-premal/you-can-t-sing-with-a-closed-heart-you-just-can-t-do-it-and-if-you/) Deva Premal > [“Daniel?” The throaty question had him closing the space between them, pulling her closer into his embrace. “The way you say my name, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzan-battah/daniel-the-throaty-question-had-him-closing-the-space-between-them/) [Suzan Battah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzan-battah/) > [“A closed heart only creates misery and sadness. An open heart creates love and happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-e-f-neilson/a-closed-heart-only-creates-misery-and-sadness-an-open-heart-creates/) G.E.F. Neilson ## More by Pope John Paul II > [the path of goodness had a name it is called Love in it we find the key to every hope and has it's root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-path-of-goodness-had-a-name-it-is-called-love-in-it-we-find-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Man always travels along precipices... His truest obligation is to keep his balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/man-always-travels-along-precipices-his-truest-obligation-is-to-keep/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The way Jesus shows you is not easy. Rather, it is like a path winding up a mountain. Do not lose heart! The steeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-way-jesus-shows-you-is-not-easy-rather-it-is-like-a-path-winding/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The Church must persist in the teaching transmitted to her by Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-church-must-persist-in-the-teaching-transmitted-to-her-by-christ/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [And Christ, through His own salvific suffering, is very much present in every human suffering, and can act from within that suffering by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/and-christ-through-his-own-salvific-suffering-is-very-much-present-in/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [“What is the difference between “creator” and “craftsman”? The one who creates bestows being itself, he brings something out of nothing— ex nihilo sui…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/what-is-the-difference-between-creator-and-craftsman-the-one-who/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The enemy of the human race...invented a means never before heard of, by which he might hinder the preaching of God's word of Salvation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-enemy-of-the-human-race-invented-a-means-never-before-heard-of-by/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Jesus Christ has taken the lead on the way of the cross. He has suffered first. He does not drive us toward suffering but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/jesus-christ-has-taken-the-lead-on-the-way-of-the-cross-he-has/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Do you think that there can be anything greater than to bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/do-you-think-that-there-can-be-anything-greater-than-to-bring-jesus/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Do not be afraid to be saints. Follow Jesus Christ who is the source of freedom and light. Be open to the Lord so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/do-not-be-afraid-to-be-saints-follow-jesus-christ-who-is-the-source/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Utilitarianism is a civilization of production and of use, a civilization of "things" and not of "persons," a civilization in which persons are used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/utilitarianism-is-a-civilization-of-production-and-of-use-a/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [ The world \[is\] tired of ideology \[and\] is opening itself to the truth. The time has come when the splendor of this truth has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-world-is-tired-of-ideology-and-is-opening-itself-to-the-truth-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The only struggle which religions can justify, the only struggle worthy of humans, is the moral struggle against humanity's own disordered passions, against every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-only-struggle-which-religions-can-justify-the-only-struggle/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The cemetery of the victims of human cruelty in our century is extended to include yet another vast cemetery, that of the unborn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-cemetery-of-the-victims-of-human-cruelty-in-our-century-is/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The Church counters the culture of death with the culture of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-church-counters-the-culture-of-death-with-the-culture-of-love/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) [Explore all 525 Pope John Paul II quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) ## More Closed quotes > [Nothing attracts me like a closed door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-bourke-white/nothing-attracts-me-like-a-closed-door/) [Margaret Bourke-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-bourke-white/) > [I was a big Nancy Drew reader. Nancy figures it out. Case closed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/i-was-a-big-nancy-drew-reader-nancy-figures-it-out-case-closed/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [Closed some doors, not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they no longer lead somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenz-jeffrey/closed-some-doors-not-because-of-pride-incapacity-or-arrogance-but/) [Frenz Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenz-jeffrey/) > [I'm tired of seeing listings of programs I want to watch that aren't closed captioned. And I'm tired of looking for the symbol on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-m-tired-of-seeing-listings-of-programs-i-want-to-watch-that-aren-t/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [“I hope you are not here to ask me to do my bawdy business- the monkey has a nosebleed and the circus, sir, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-hope-you-are-not-here-to-ask-me-to-do-my-bawdy-business-the-monkey/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“I remembered what Dad said once, that some people have all of life's answers worked out the day they're born and there's no use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/i-remembered-what-dad-said-once-that-some-people-have-all-of-life-s/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [Bridge the gap with closed minds though careful dissection of ideas and solid presentation of fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximillian-degenerez/bridge-the-gap-with-closed-minds-though-careful-dissection-of-ideas/) [Maximillian Degenerez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximillian-degenerez/) > [You were the oníly one I saw when I closed my eyes..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhiess-krieg/you-were-the-on-ly-one-i-saw-when-i-closed-my-eyes/) [Jhiess Krieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhiess-krieg/) > [“Bedtime stories Eventide Rhapsodies Anthologies of Memory Please enter cautiously and feel free to open what is closed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/bedtime-stories-eventide-rhapsodies-anthologies-of-memory-please/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [I didn't go to school, because I never stayed anywhere long enough, so I was completely closed off from the outside world. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neon-hitch/i-didn-t-go-to-school-because-i-never-stayed-anywhere-long-enough-so/) [Neon Hitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neon-hitch/) > [I developed the habit of writing novels behind a closed door, or at my uncle's, on the dining table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-white/i-developed-the-habit-of-writing-novels-behind-a-closed-door-or-at-my/) [Patrick White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-white/) > [My life closed twice before its close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/my-life-closed-twice-before-its-close/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much. It's more, perhaps, like a dog in some ways. It does have its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-bark-my-voice-out-through-a-closed-throat-pretty-much-it-s-more/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Because you're fat, you feel that everybody's watching every bite you take. So, you closet-eat, and you think because nobody sees you eating, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/because-you-re-fat-you-feel-that-everybody-s-watching-every-bite-you/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [Others like City Hall the old way, when they could make deals behind closed doors with your tax money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/others-like-city-hall-the-old-way-when-they-could-make-deals-behind/) [Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/) Browse all 326 Closed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The worst prison would be a closed heart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pope John Paul II" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Closed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/pope-john-paul-ii-485_closed_the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart_3229966.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/pope-john-paul-ii-485_closed_the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart_3229966.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/pope-john-paul-ii-485_closed_the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart_3229966.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The worst prison would be a closed heart.” — Pope John Paul II", "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": "Pope John Paul II", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The worst prison would be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-worst-prison-would-be-a-closed-heart/#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 } } ] } ```