--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't ask me how to burn down a building…" description: "\"Don't ask me how to burn down a building. Ask me how to grow watermelons or how to explain nature to a child. That is what I want to grow old doing. Pl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/rod-coronado-39690_ask-me_don-t-ask-me-how-to-burn-down-a-building_2566022.png" --- # Don't ask me how to burn down a building. Ask me how to… ![“Don't ask me how to burn down a building. Ask me how to grow watermelons or how to explain nature to a child. That is what I want to grow old doing. Please afford me this.” quote by Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/rod-coronado-39690_ask-me_don-t-ask-me-how-to-burn-down-a-building_2566022.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/rod-coronado-39690_ask-me_don-t-ask-me-how-to-burn-down-a-building_2566022.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/rod-coronado-39690_ask-me_don-t-ask-me-how-to-burn-down-a-building_2566022.png) > “Don't ask me how to burn down a building. Ask me how to grow watermelons or how to explain nature to a child. That is what I want to grow old doing. Please afford me this.” [Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-coronado/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects destructive actions, urging focus on nurturing and teaching, seeking a meaningful, peaceful purpose. **In simple terms:** Choose creation and education over destruction. Key Takeaway Cultivate growth and understanding. Themes peace construction education Mood hopeful determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - activism - community projects - parenting - teaching Key Concepts environment humanity legacy Questions to Reflect On - What can you nurture in your community? - How do you balance idealism with practical constraints? A Different Perspective Idealism may clash with harsh realities of systemic oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask Burn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-burn-1649260/) [Ask Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-grow-1649258/) [Ask me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-me/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Building Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-ask-1649259/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Grow Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow-old/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-grow/) ## Related quotes > [Now, when building a show, I ask myself the question - like, 'Jumping off this table will be really cool, but can I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillipa-soo/now-when-building-a-show-i-ask-myself-the-question-like-jumping-off/) [Phillipa Soo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillipa-soo/) > [People say, "John, what's your personal growth?" And ask "How do you grow?" And I tell them. I thought, "Why do I keep telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/people-say-john-what-s-your-personal-growth-and-ask-how-do-you-grow/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I Want To Grow Old With You, Overcome Every Obstacle, And Be Together, For All Of Time..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-to-grow-old-with-you-overcome-every-obstacle-and-be-together/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stay out of the road, if you want to grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink-floyd/stay-out-of-the-road-if-you-want-to-grow-old/) [Pink Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink-floyd/) > [You want to grow where you came up so when you move, you get noticed easier. 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I'm sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-doyle/i-m-not-sure-what-i-want-to-do-when-i-grow-up-or-if-i-m-sure-i-ever/) [Jerry Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-doyle/) > [I may be growing upbut I dont want to grow up too fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wall/i-may-be-growing-upbut-i-dont-want-to-grow-up-too-fast/) [John Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wall/) > [I want to make a better record than I made the last time. I want to grow. I want to discover new things about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-want-to-make-a-better-record-than-i-made-the-last-time-i-want-to/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [“I do not want to grow for the sake of growth. Never will I be blinded by greed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammed-muazu-mukaddas/i-do-not-want-to-grow-for-the-sake-of-growth-never-will-i-be-blinded/) [Muhammed Muazu Mukaddas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammed-muazu-mukaddas/) > [I want to grow a flower for every time someone tells me F\*\*\* you. Then Ill go back to that person and pin the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-to-grow-a-flower-for-every-time-someone-tells-me-f-you-then/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. It's funny - people ask me that, and I don't know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-rosman/i-don-t-know-what-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-it-s-funny-people-ask/) [Mackenzie Rosman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-rosman/) > [“THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS 1.​What experiences do you want to have in this lifetime? 2.​How do you want to grow? 3.​How do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/the-three-most-important-questions-1-what-experiences-do-you-want-to/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [“It is up to you. How far you want to go and how far you want to grow. Do not let that your worries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yilda-rivera/it-is-up-to-you-how-far-you-want-to-go-and-how-far-you-want-to-grow/) [Yilda Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yilda-rivera/) > [I just want to grow spiritually with the Lord,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/i-just-want-to-grow-spiritually-with-the-lord/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) ## More by Rod Coronado > [Throughout the late '80s, me and a handful of friends just like you people here, we started to break windows, we started to slash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-coronado/throughout-the-late-80s-me-and-a-handful-of-friends-just-like-you/) [Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-coronado/) > [I wish I could do it again, only I wish I could take all of the animals out of the environmental fur farm ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-coronado/i-wish-i-could-do-it-again-only-i-wish-i-could-take-all-of-the/) [Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-coronado/) > [I believe in animal rights, human rights, land rights, water rights, air rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-coronado/i-believe-in-animal-rights-human-rights-land-rights-water-rights-air/) [Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-coronado/) > [ I think \[food producers\] should appreciate that we're only targeting their property. Because frankly I think it's time to start targeting them. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-coronado/i-think-food-producers-should-appreciate-that-we-re-only-targeting/) [Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-coronado/) > [You're damn right when you say I've shown people how to make a firebomb, I've done my time for my crimes, and I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-coronado/you-re-damn-right-when-you-say-i-ve-shown-people-how-to-make-a/) [Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-coronado/) > [As Earth warriors, we choose to be participants in the ancient battle between good and evil. 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So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-wonder/i-am-a-conservative-type-of-person-so-sometimes-when-i-m-chilling/) [Wayne Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-wonder/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [My identity shifted when I got into # recovery . That's who I am now, and it actually gives me greater pleasure to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/my-identity-shifted-when-i-got-into-recovery-that-s-who-i-am-now-and/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron… my answer is “How should I know?”……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-you-ask-me-to-tell-you-anything-about-the-nature-of-what-lies/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [When a young artist asks me a question, I want to do what I can to give them an answer if I have it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tait/when-a-young-artist-asks-me-a-question-i-want-to-do-what-i-can-to/) [Michael Tait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tait/) > [I've never asked a girl out in my life, they have to ask me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-never-asked-a-girl-out-in-my-life-they-have-to-ask-me/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I would do almost anything Tina Fey asks me to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-would-do-almost-anything-tina-fey-asks-me-to-do/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Space Jam is my favorite movie. Don't ask me why, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/space-jam-is-my-favorite-movie-don-t-ask-me-why-it-just-is/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [If I had lost a leg, I would tell them, instead of a boy, no one would ever ask me if I was 'over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/if-i-had-lost-a-leg-i-would-tell-them-instead-of-a-boy-no-one-would/) [Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/) > [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) [Browse all 1,282 Ask me quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-me/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't ask me how to burn down a building. Ask me how to grow watermelons or how to explain nature to a child. That is what I want to grow old doing. 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