--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I understand, for the first time…" description: "\"“And I understand, for the first time, that I have the power to destroy everything.”\" — Tahereh Mafi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/tahereh-mafi-229_destroy_and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that_2038708.png" --- # And I understand, for the first time, that I have the… ![“And I understand, for the first time, that I have the power to destroy everything.” quote by Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/tahereh-mafi-229_destroy_and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that_2038708.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/tahereh-mafi-229_destroy_and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that_2038708.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/tahereh-mafi-229_destroy_and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that_2038708.png) > ““And I understand, for the first time, that I have the power to destroy everything.”” [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing personal power can be both empowering and terrifying. **In simple terms:** Power can be scary. Key Takeaway Channel newfound power responsibly. Themes power self‑discovery responsibility Mood intense hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - leadership decisions - creative projects Key Concepts identity agency ethical use Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities come with your power? - How will you prevent misuse? A Different Perspective Power can corrupt if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Juliette-ferrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/juliette-ferrars/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [For each person there is a sentence—a series of words—which has the power to destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/for-each-person-there-is-a-sentence-a-series-of-words-which-has-the/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [If you had the power to destroy the world, would you do so?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-you-had-the-power-to-destroy-the-world-would-you-do-so/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Every creative force has an equal power to destroy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-bill-pepper/every-creative-force-has-an-equal-power-to-destroy/) Curtis Bill Pepper > [That TV set in your home has the power to destroy your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-bryant/that-tv-set-in-your-home-has-the-power-to-destroy-your-family/) [Anita Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-bryant/) > [The only people who have the power to destroy you are the people you've given that power to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-only-people-who-have-the-power-to-destroy-you-are-the-people-you/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“Ideas that don't even exist have the power to destroy the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/ideas-that-don-t-even-exist-have-the-power-to-destroy-the-world/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/beliefs-have-the-power-to-create-and-the-power-to-destroy/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [The power to tax is the power to destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall/the-power-to-tax-is-the-power-to-destroy/) [John Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall/) > [People say I'm destroying hip-hop, and I'm like, there's so much hip-hop, and it's so popular, so I don't know why I have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-yachty/people-say-i-m-destroying-hip-hop-and-i-m-like-there-s-so-much-hip/) [Lil Yachty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-yachty/) > [“Why do we desire, above all other things, that which has the greatest power to destroy us?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-rogerson/why-do-we-desire-above-all-other-things-that-which-has-the-greatest/) [Margaret Rogerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-rogerson/) > [“I don't want to ever give someone that kind of power to destroy me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/i-don-t-want-to-ever-give-someone-that-kind-of-power-to-destroy-me/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [Rain slips through your fingers as easily as words blow away in the wind, and yet it has the power to destroy your whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/rain-slips-through-your-fingers-as-easily-as-words-blow-away-in-the/) [Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/) > [“Are you out of your goddamn mind? You think we can take on two hundred soldiers? I know I am an extremely attractive man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/are-you-out-of-your-goddamn-mind-you-think-we-can-take-on-two-hundred/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I count everything. Even numbers, odd numbers, multiples of 10. I count the ticks of the clock i count the tocks of the clock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-count-everything-even-numbers-odd-numbers-multiples-of-10-i-count/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Warner has collapsed in the corner. He's curled into himself, kness pulled up to his chest. arms wrapped around his legs, his head buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/warner-has-collapsed-in-the-corner-he-s-curled-into-himself-kness/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## More by Tahereh Mafi > [His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/his-hands-are-holding-my-cheeks-and-he-pulls-back-just-to-look-me-in/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I didn't want the clothes or the perfect shoes or the expensive anything. I didn't want to be draped in silk. All I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-didn-t-want-the-clothes-or-the-perfect-shoes-or-the-expensive/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“infinite points of feeling for every nerve ending in my body”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/infinite-points-of-feeling-for-every-nerve-ending-in-my-body/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“He's too much. Everything about him is too much. His emotions, his actions, his anger, his aggression. His love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/he-s-too-much-everything-about-him-is-too-much-his-emotions-his/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Right now I can't even control my own imagination as it grips my hair and drags me into the dark”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/right-now-i-can-t-even-control-my-own-imagination-as-it-grips-my-hair/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I want you, I want all of you. I want you inside and out and catching your breath and aching for me like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-want-you-i-want-all-of-you-i-want-you-inside-and-out-and-catching/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I will give no one the satisfaction of my death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-will-give-no-one-the-satisfaction-of-my-death/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I almost forget that she still hates me, despite how hard I’ve fallen for her. And I’ve fallen. So hard. I’ve hit the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-almost-forget-that-she-still-hates-me-despite-how-hard-i-ve-fallen/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/all-i-ever-wanted-was-to-reach-out-and-touch-another-human-being-not/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“It's the kind of kiss that makes you realize oxygen is overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/it-s-the-kind-of-kiss-that-makes-you-realize-oxygen-is-overrated/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“That’s when I understand. Of course she’s not okay. Of course she didn’t get any sleep last night. Last night she almost killed one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-when-i-understand-of-course-she-s-not-okay-of-course-she-didn/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I used to have a family. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-used-to-have-a-family-he/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I've never been able to follow through.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-ve-never-been-able-to-follow-through/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“ground where it smells like ice and metal and dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/ground-where-it-smells-like-ice-and-metal-and-dirt/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) [Explore all 821 Tahereh Mafi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## More Destroy quotes > [“That would be just like me-ruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/that-would-be-just-like-me-ruin-everything-destroy-the-world-in-a/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [We shall fight against them, throw them in prisons and destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-shall-fight-against-them-throw-them-in-prisons-and-destroy-them/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Destroy gossip by ignoring it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/destroy-gossip-by-ignoring-it/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [When I became successful, I put up a caution. I didn't think it was fair to have the shadow of that kind of success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/when-i-became-successful-i-put-up-a-caution-i-didn-t-think-it-was/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“Put that thing down, girl. Don't you know it steals part of your soul, that little mechanical masterpiece you hold so frivolously? Don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-noelle-long/put-that-thing-down-girl-don-t-you-know-it-steals-part-of-your-soul/) [Shannon Noelle Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-noelle-long/) > [In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to destroy its trust, its hope, its idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot-be-done-is-to-destroy-its/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [Just a reminder, if you tell anyone about what happened with Jonah last night, I'll destroy all of my writing and never play music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/just-a-reminder-if-you-tell-anyone-about-what-happened-with-jonah/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [We will not waste 30 years of our lives dealing with extremist ideas; we will destroy them today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-bin-salman/we-will-not-waste-30-years-of-our-lives-dealing-with-extremist-ideas/) [Mohammad bin Salman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-bin-salman/) > [We will defend ourselves, and we have full rights to do so. If the authorities try to destroy us, we have the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-udaltsov/we-will-defend-ourselves-and-we-have-full-rights-to-do-so-if-the/) Sergei Udaltsov > [You destroy my life then feed me inspirational philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-destroy-my-life-then-feed-me-inspirational-philosophy/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [There are seven things that will destroy us, Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Religion without sacrifice, Politics without principle, Science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coldheart/there-are-seven-things-that-will-destroy-us-wealth-without-work/) [Coldheart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coldheart/) Browse all 1,229 Destroy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And I understand, for the first time, that I have the power to destroy everything.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tahereh Mafi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that-i-have-the-power-to-destroy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Destroy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that-i-have-the-power-to-destroy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/tahereh-mafi-229_destroy_and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that_2038708.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/tahereh-mafi-229_destroy_and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that_2038708.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/tahereh-mafi-229_destroy_and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that_2038708.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And I understand, for the first time, that I have the power to destroy everything.” — Tahereh Mafi", "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": "Tahereh Mafi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And I understand, for the first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that-i-have-the-power-to-destroy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/and-i-understand-for-the-first-time-that-i-have-the-power-to-destroy/#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 } } ] } ```