Moving from motive to consequence, the quote explains why creative work and intimacy often feel inherently unsafe. To write, paint, build, or confess affection is to accept exposure—others may judge, misunderstand, or ignore you. Jansson herself, in the Moomin stories, repeatedly shows characters drawn into adventures precisely because curiosity outweighs comfort.
Accordingly, carefulness can protect you from pain, but it can also keep you from aliveness. The person who never risks looking foolish may also never discover what they can do, or who might meet them halfway. [...]
