To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

Summary

This quote, often attributed to C.S. Lewis, highlights the inherent vulnerability in loving someone or something. It suggests that the act of loving inevitably opens one up to the possibility of pain and heartbreak. To safeguard against potential hurt, one may choose to withhold their heart completely, isolating themselves from any emotional connection. However, this protected state, akin to a lifeless casket, leads to a loss of growth and transformation. It emphasizes that love, despite its risks, allows for personal expansion and a truly fulfilling existence.