--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love its potential. I hate its past…" description: "\"“I love its potential. I hate its past. And I don’t like what it is.’ She hugs her knees close to her chest. ‘The way you feel about the place you grew..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/robert-jackson-bennett-11596_family_i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and_1155020.jpg" --- # I love its potential. I hate its past. And I don’t like… ![“I love its potential. I hate its past. And I don’t like what it is.’ She hugs her knees close to her chest. ‘The way you feel about the place you grew up in is a lot like how you feel about your family.” quote by Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/robert-jackson-bennett-11596_family_i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and_1155020.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/robert-jackson-bennett-11596_family_i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and_1155020.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/robert-jackson-bennett-11596_family_i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and_1155020.jpg) > ““I love its potential. I hate its past. And I don’t like what it is.’ She hugs her knees close to her chest. ‘The way you feel about the place you grew up in is a lot like how you feel about your family.”” [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects ambivalence toward one's origins, mixing admiration for possibilities with disappointment in history, likening it to complex family feelings. **In simple terms:** Mixed feelings about home and family. Key Takeaway Accept both love and criticism of your roots. Themes identity nostalgia family place growth Mood reflective bittersweet Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - reflecting on hometown - family reunions - personal essays - therapy sessions Key Concepts psychology memory attachment Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile love and resentment toward your roots? - What aspects of your past shape your present identity? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify diverse personal experiences with one's past. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Hugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hugs/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Gifts should be like hugs - if you want to give one and you have that kind of relationship with someone, then that's wonderful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-torres/gifts-should-be-like-hugs-if-you-want-to-give-one-and-you-have-that/) [Julio Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-torres/) > [“In my view, there are many different kinds of hugs. There are the ones you give to huggers, people who hug all the time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-carman/in-my-view-there-are-many-different-kinds-of-hugs-there-are-the-ones/) [Patrick Carman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-carman/) > [There's something in a simple hug that always warms the heart. It welcomes us back home and makes it easier to part. A hug's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/there-s-something-in-a-simple-hug-that-always-warms-the-heart-it/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I am so passionate about my work that when I reach there and I become my character, I don't really need to think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-tiwari/i-am-so-passionate-about-my-work-that-when-i-reach-there-and-i-become/) [Shweta Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-tiwari/) > [I've known people that was a part of a family and always feel that the family liked everyone else but them. That hurts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/i-ve-known-people-that-was-a-part-of-a-family-and-always-feel-that/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [At age 12, I was put on tranquilizers when I should have gotten help. There was nothing major and awful, I just didn't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-danziger/at-age-12-i-was-put-on-tranquilizers-when-i-should-have-gotten-help/) [Paula Danziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-danziger/) > [When you feel your family is being threatened and hurt, you speak up. And then you put your head down and go back about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lauer/when-you-feel-your-family-is-being-threatened-and-hurt-you-speak-up/) [Matt Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lauer/) > [After 'Boy Meets World' ended, I didn't know if I was going to be lucky enough to work on a show with as many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-fishel/after-boy-meets-world-ended-i-didn-t-know-if-i-was-going-to-be-lucky/) [Danielle Fishel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-fishel/) > [AC/DC is like a... It's an institution, for a start. The fans feel a part of the family, and that's a good feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-slade/ac-dc-is-like-a-it-s-an-institution-for-a-start-the-fans-feel-a-part/) [Chris Slade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-slade/) > [My brothers are so much a part of who I am, and such a large part of my heart and my drive. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/my-brothers-are-so-much-a-part-of-who-i-am-and-such-a-large-part-of/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [Hard times don't necessarily mean being poor all the time. I've known people that was a part of a family and always feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/hard-times-don-t-necessarily-mean-being-poor-all-the-time-i-ve-known/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [I've always had not just an affection but a real love for the theater family in New York, and I really feel it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-duncan/i-ve-always-had-not-just-an-affection-but-a-real-love-for-the-theater/) [Lindsay Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-duncan/) > [Real Madrid aspires to win everything, and I feel part of the family at this club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/real-madrid-aspires-to-win-everything-and-i-feel-part-of-the-family/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [When people come to my gigs, they feel accepted as they are and they feel part of this family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saara-aalto/when-people-come-to-my-gigs-they-feel-accepted-as-they-are-and-they/) [Saara Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saara-aalto/) > [ I've kept the people who've been in my career who I feel are my family. Kathy \[Kennedy\] had been with me since 1978. Janusz… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-ve-kept-the-people-who-ve-been-in-my-career-who-i-feel-are-my/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) ## More by Robert Jackson Bennett > [“After all, deep in every Texan’s heart, there remains the steadfast belief that any problem can be solved with a big enough gun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/after-all-deep-in-every-texan-s-heart-there-remains-the-steadfast/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [Voters might have short memories. Politicians do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/voters-might-have-short-memories-politicians-do-not/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“My definition of an adult is someone who lives their life aware they are sharing the world with others. My definition of an adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/my-definition-of-an-adult-is-someone-who-lives-their-life-aware-they/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“I am lost among the seas of fate and time But at least I have love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/i-am-lost-among-the-seas-of-fate-and-time-but-at-least-i-have-love/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“But freedom and human happiness has a direct relationship to the number of people who have power over their own world, their own lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/but-freedom-and-human-happiness-has-a-direct-relationship-to-the/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“One should not seek ugliness in this world. There is no lack of it. You will find it soon enough, or it will find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/one-should-not-seek-ugliness-in-this-world-there-is-no-lack-of-it-you/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [Oh, propriety," says Mrs Benjamin. "We're always so concerned with propriety. Even in total madness, we still stick to our hierarchies and chains of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/oh-propriety-says-mrs-benjamin-we-re-always-so-concerned-with/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [I learned very early on not to speak to my folk from on high, but to get down with them, beside them, showing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/i-learned-very-early-on-not-to-speak-to-my-folk-from-on-high-but-to/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“We are—or were —Divinities, Shara Komayd: we drew power from the hearts and minds and beliefs of a people. But that which you draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/we-are-or-were-divinities-shara-komayd-we-drew-power-from-the-hearts/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [ “I put my office right in the middle of the death they threaten us with. \[...\] here I sit, every day, hanging over all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/i-put-my-office-right-in-the-middle-of-the-death-they-threaten-us/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“The city knows. It remembers. Its past is written in its bones, though the past now speaks in silences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/the-city-knows-it-remembers-its-past-is-written-in-its-bones-though/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“My first question is- do you have a name ? "A name? Yes." "Ah!" said the wolf. It wrote several extensive notes. "And what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/my-first-question-is-do-you-have-a-name-a-name-yes-ah-said-the-wolf/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“It is a fool who lives his life believing the waves upon which he sails shall remember him. The seas know nothing. This makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/it-is-a-fool-who-lives-his-life-believing-the-waves-upon-which-he/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“For a caterpillar to become a butterfly, it must forget it was ever a caterpillar at all. Then it will be as if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/for-a-caterpillar-to-become-a-butterfly-it-must-forget-it-was-ever-a/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“To see her smile in such a manner makes my heart glad - Sigrud Well, goody for your fucking heart! -Mulaghesh”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/to-see-her-smile-in-such-a-manner-makes-my-heart-glad-sigrud-well/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) [Explore all 59 Robert Jackson Bennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. The people have always been very, very kind to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/the-people-have-always-been-family-to-me-here-in-las-vegas-the-people/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I love its potential. I hate its past. And I don’t like what it is.’ She hugs her knees close to her chest. ‘The way you feel about the place you grew up in is a lot like how you feel about your family.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Jackson Bennett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and-i-don-t-like-what-it-is-she/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Family" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and-i-don-t-like-what-it-is-she/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/robert-jackson-bennett-11596_family_i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and_1155020.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/robert-jackson-bennett-11596_family_i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and_1155020.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/robert-jackson-bennett-11596_family_i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and_1155020.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I love its potential. I hate its past. And I don’t like what it is.’ She hugs her knees close to her chest…” — Robert Jackson Bennett", "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": "Robert Jackson Bennett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I love its potential. I hate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and-i-don-t-like-what-it-is-she/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/i-love-its-potential-i-hate-its-past-and-i-don-t-like-what-it-is-she/#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 } } ] } ```