--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I could handle it, and I was…" description: "\"“I thought I could handle it, and I was doing pretty well until I sat across from you and looked up at you from my canvas. It all fell to pieces then, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/tess-oliver-14997_looked-canvas_i-thought-i-could-handle-it-and-i-was-do_2999765.jpg" --- # I thought I could handle it, and I was doing pretty well… ![“I thought I could handle it, and I was doing pretty well until I sat across from you and looked up at you from my canvas. It all fell to pieces then, and I knew I'd been fooling myself. To have you sit a few feel away and only touch you with my eyes was too much to bear.” quote by Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/tess-oliver-14997_looked-canvas_i-thought-i-could-handle-it-and-i-was-do_2999765.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/tess-oliver-14997_looked-canvas_i-thought-i-could-handle-it-and-i-was-do_2999765.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/tess-oliver-14997_looked-canvas_i-thought-i-could-handle-it-and-i-was-do_2999765.jpg) > ““I thought I could handle it, and I was doing pretty well until I sat across from you and looked up at you from my canvas. It all fell to pieces then, and I knew I'd been fooling myself. To have you sit a few feel away and only touch you with my eyes was too much to bear.”” [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing one's limitations in the presence of another can shatter self-deception, exposing emotional vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Seeing truth can break false confidence. Key Takeaway Recognize and accept your limits. Themes vulnerability self-awareness illusion art relationships Mood melancholic introspective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - artistic collaboration - romantic encounters - personal growth - therapy - public speaking Key Concepts Psychology self-deception emotional honesty Questions to Reflect On - When have you faced a painful truth? - How do you cope with emotional overwhelm? A Different Perspective Denial may prevent growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Canvas Fell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas-fell-4756307/) [Feel Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-away-2506614/) [Fell Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fell-pieces-4756308/) [Looked Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looked-canvas-1693228/) [Sat Looked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat-looked-3455485/) ## Related quotes > [“Isabel sat up, and looked deep into his eyes. ‘What goes on in there, I wonder?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/isabel-sat-up-and-looked-deep-into-his-eyes-what-goes-on-in-there-i/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“a living. Without Jonny, Student almost fell to pieces.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/a-living-without-jonny-student-almost-fell-to-pieces/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Why then did she do it? She looked at the canvas, lightly scored with running lines. It would be hung in the servants' bedrooms.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-then-did-she-do-it-she-looked-at-the-canvas-lightly-scored-with/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“I was confused by this sudden glare of attention; it was as if the characters in a favorite painting, absorbed in their own concerns,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/i-was-confused-by-this-sudden-glare-of-attention-it-was-as-if-the/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [Every day is the same thing out the door Feel further away then ever before Some things in life, it gets too late to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/every-day-is-the-same-thing-out-the-door-feel-further-away-then-ever/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [“You know when you've found it that's something I've learned, cause you feel it when they take it away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-rice/you-know-when-you-ve-found-it-that-s-something-i-ve-learned-cause-you/) [Damien Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-rice/) > [“when I see you, I feel the same. It is when I am away that I lose myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/when-i-see-you-i-feel-the-same-it-is-when-i-am-away-that-i-lose-myself/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [What makes people special is not the happiness you feel when you are with them, but the pain you feel when they are away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-makes-people-special-is-not-the-happiness-you-feel-when-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know when you've found it 'cause you feel it when they take it away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-when-you-ve-found-it-cause-you-feel-it-when-they-take-it-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tess Oliver > [“His smile reappeared. It was not large or extraordinary, but it was one I would not soon forget.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/his-smile-reappeared-it-was-not-large-or-extraordinary-but-it-was-one/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“Well, if she doesn't like pelicans she must be very disagreeable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/well-if-she-doesn-t-like-pelicans-she-must-be-very-disagreeable/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“You were meant for me, Poppy. I can feel it in my fingertips when I touch you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/you-were-meant-for-me-poppy-i-can-feel-it-in-my-fingertips-when-i/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“Rinkeni, you could be standing on the other side of the earth, and I would hear you if you needed me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/rinkeni-you-could-be-standing-on-the-other-side-of-the-earth-and-i/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“My mind argued with itself about whether to adhere to proper etiquette or whether to fling aside all modesty and throw my arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/my-mind-argued-with-itself-about-whether-to-adhere-to-proper/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“Blasted grave marker. There sure are a bloody lot of them. They've got some nerve burying all these dead people here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/blasted-grave-marker-there-sure-are-a-bloody-lot-of-them-they-ve-got/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“A paper man. How romantic. And when I tire of him, I can just crumple him into a huge ball.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/a-paper-man-how-romantic-and-when-i-tire-of-him-i-can-just-crumple/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“We're going to be matchmakers and find the perfect girl for Barrett." "I already told them that every girl is perfect, and that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/we-re-going-to-be-matchmakers-and-find-the-perfect-girl-for-barrett-i/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“It's like being tethered to an angel. Hell keeps calling me but I can't let go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/it-s-like-being-tethered-to-an-angel-hell-keeps-calling-me-but-i-can/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“I know exactly what I want. I want you, Jane. There is no one else on this earth for me but you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/i-know-exactly-what-i-want-i-want-you-jane-there-is-no-one-else-on/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“Your thigh? Your shoulder? Is there any part of you that hasn't been hurt yet?" He seemed to be contemplating my question for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/your-thigh-your-shoulder-is-there-any-part-of-you-that-hasn-t-been/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“I fell back into my favorite chair and tucked my hands between my knees to stop them from shaking. I sucked in a deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/i-fell-back-into-my-favorite-chair-and-tucked-my-hands-between-my/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“It was disgusting and terrific all at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/it-was-disgusting-and-terrific-all-at-the-same-time/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“He would be gone soon, and with all that had happened in Blackpool Cove, I could not afford to send a piece of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/he-would-be-gone-soon-and-with-all-that-had-happened-in-blackpool/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [“tuft of hair from the horse’s neck. “I’ll”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/tuft-of-hair-from-the-horse-s-neck-i-ll/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) [Explore all 44 Tess Oliver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) ## More Looked Canvas quotes > [“Why then did she do it? She looked at the canvas, lightly scored with running lines. It would be hung in the servants' bedrooms.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-then-did-she-do-it-she-looked-at-the-canvas-lightly-scored-with/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“I was confused by this sudden glare of attention; it was as if the characters in a favorite painting, absorbed in their own concerns,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/i-was-confused-by-this-sudden-glare-of-attention-it-was-as-if-the/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) [Browse all 3 Looked Canvas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looked-canvas-1693228/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I thought I could handle it, and I was doing pretty well until I sat across from you and looked up at you from my canvas. It all fell to pieces then, and I knew I'd been fooling myself. 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