--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I leave, reality will devour me. Then…" description: "\"If I leave, reality will devour me. Then they will all really be dead.\" — Asne Seierstad" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/asne-seierstad-16627_leave_if-i-leave-reality-will-devour-me-then-t_2922035.png" --- # If I leave, reality will devour me. Then they will all… ![“If I leave, reality will devour me. Then they will all really be dead.” quote by Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/asne-seierstad-16627_leave_if-i-leave-reality-will-devour-me-then-t_2922035.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/asne-seierstad-16627_leave_if-i-leave-reality-will-devour-me-then-t_2922035.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/asne-seierstad-16627_leave_if-i-leave-reality-will-devour-me-then-t_2922035.png) > “If I leave, reality will devour me. Then they will all really be dead.” [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing reality can feel overwhelming, leading to thoughts of escape or annihilation. **In simple terms:** Reality feels crushing; escape seems appealing. Key Takeaway Seek support when reality feels unbearable. Themes existential dread reality escape mental health loneliness Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - grief - trauma recovery - mental health support - creative writing Key Concepts Literature psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What reality feels too heavy to face? - How can you find grounding amid overwhelming thoughts? A Different Perspective Escapism may ignore underlying issues; confronting reality often requires help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [“We don't knoe when we're going to make our exits. But one day we'll pass away from this carnival with all its masks and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/we-don-t-knoe-when-we-re-going-to-make-our-exits-but-one-day-we-ll/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“They are never really dead, these super criminals”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/they-are-never-really-dead-these-super-criminals/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [To die, to be really dead, that must be glorious. There are far worse things awaiting man than death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-fort/to-die-to-be-really-dead-that-must-be-glorious-there-are-far-worse/) [Garrett Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-fort/) > [“But of course, those who live in memories are never really dead”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/but-of-course-those-who-live-in-memories-are-never-really-dead/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [I sometimes wonder if necrophiliacs are really into dead people or if they just enjoy the quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/i-sometimes-wonder-if-necrophiliacs-are-really-into-dead-people-or-if/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [“Those who have no sense of posterity or any concern for future generations are the ones who are really dead. 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Maybe I really was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/in-a-moment-of-sheer-terror-i-realized-i-couldn-t-feel-my-brain-it/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend - provided, of course, that he really is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/he-was-a-great-patriot-a-humanitarian-a-loyal-friend-provided-of-2/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Nobody's ever really dead on 'Game of Thrones.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kazee/nobody-s-ever-really-dead-on-game-of-thrones/) [Steve Kazee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kazee/) > [“The dead don't smile anymore. They don't feel joy or anger either. That's what dying means. If there are ghosts in the world... well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryohgo-narita/the-dead-don-t-smile-anymore-they-don-t-feel-joy-or-anger-either-that/) [Ryohgo Narita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryohgo-narita/) > [He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend; provided, of course, he really is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/he-was-a-great-patriot-a-humanitarian-a-loyal-friend-provided-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [About the time you might start to think that science fiction - the real stuff, not the species of fantasy that goes under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-tilton/about-the-time-you-might-start-to-think-that-science-fiction-the-real/) Lois Tilton > [To die, to be really dead, that must be glorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-die-to-be-really-dead-that-must-be-glorious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I close my eyes an see your face, i know I wasn't a waste, but when I open my eyes to see an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mfi/when-i-close-my-eyes-an-see-your-face-i-know-i-wasn-t-a-waste-but/) Mfi ## More by Asne Seierstad > [The judgment means a lot. As a journalist being accused of invading someone's privacy, there is always a risk that it will stick to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/the-judgment-means-a-lot-as-a-journalist-being-accused-of-invading/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [I would like my book to give people insight to the war before and after, but I don't think anyone could read my book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/i-would-like-my-book-to-give-people-insight-to-the-war-before-and/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [If we can't understand the Afghan family, we can't understand Afghanistan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/if-we-can-t-understand-the-afghan-family-we-can-t-understand/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [The book came after the fall of the Taliban, it says something about Afghan family life. Those kind of stories - what happens behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/the-book-came-after-the-fall-of-the-taliban-it-says-something-about/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [I always try to describe the situation just as it is. I try to find sentences that I believe tell the story best. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/i-always-try-to-describe-the-situation-just-as-it-is-i-try-to-find/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [“Gerd called life 'existing minute by minute'. Every single minute felt like a battle. Time went on but life had stopped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/gerd-called-life-existing-minute-by-minute-every-single-minute-felt/) [Åsne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [The family is the single most important institution in Afghan culture. It is described in the country's constitution as the 'fundamental pillar of society'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/the-family-is-the-single-most-important-institution-in-afghan-culture/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [“Os iraquianos sempre devoraram livros: são o nosso alimento e, além do amor, é a única coisa que necessitamos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/os-iraquianos-sempre-devoraram-livros-s-o-o-nosso-alimento-e-al-m-do/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [Even in a war, someone has to take care of daily life. Someone has to feed and clothe the children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/even-in-a-war-someone-has-to-take-care-of-daily-life-someone-has-to/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [“They played a game of dare - who could get closest to the flames?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/they-played-a-game-of-dare-who-could-get-closest-to-the-flames/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [As a woman, you accept the situation, adapt to it, and do your best, whereas men would choose violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/as-a-woman-you-accept-the-situation-adapt-to-it-and-do-your-best/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [“Do you know what is our problem? We know everything about our weapons, but we know nothing about how to use a telephone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/do-you-know-what-is-our-problem-we-know-everything-about-our-weapons/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [If you've lived in a dictatorship for thirty years, you're used to people lying to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/if-you-ve-lived-in-a-dictatorship-for-thirty-years-you-re-used-to/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [As a war correspondent, you have to weigh the risk you run against the story you can get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/as-a-war-correspondent-you-have-to-weigh-the-risk-you-run-against-the/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [The family is the single most important institution in Afghan culture. It is described in the countrys constitution as the fundamental pillar of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/the-family-is-the-single-most-important-institution-in-afghan-culture-2/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) [Explore all 38 Asne Seierstad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) ## More Leave quotes > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [“Congregating power to leave u… To control this love But I always go back to December!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moaz-zulfiqar/congregating-power-to-leave-u-to-control-this-love-but-i-always-go/) Moaz Zulfiqar > [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Can't blame people for walking away. People get tired and can only take so much. Don't be surprised when they leave and don't come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/can-t-blame-people-for-walking-away-people-get-tired-and-can-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To have a future we have to live and leave the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akiane-kramarik/to-have-a-future-we-have-to-live-and-leave-the-present/) [Akiane Kramarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akiane-kramarik/) > [My parents and my sister always leave me over New Year, so I'm always on my own in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-dimoldenberg/my-parents-and-my-sister-always-leave-me-over-new-year-so-i-m-always/) [Amelia Dimoldenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-dimoldenberg/) > [I would leave at once, but it would be cruel to abandon a lady in a foreign land with a maniac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-would-leave-at-once-but-it-would-be-cruel-to-abandon-a-lady-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The fact that you can even make a record and leave a document that you were here, that's nothing to sneeze at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-trent-d-arby/the-fact-that-you-can-even-make-a-record-and-leave-a-document-that/) [Terence Trent D'Arby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-trent-d-arby/) > [Take what you LOVE , Leave what you don't :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psychefaye/take-what-you-love-leave-what-you-don-t/) PsycheFaye > [There is no reason why one should believe you should leave out politicians in cricket or any sport for that matter. There are ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roosevelt-skerrit/there-is-no-reason-why-one-should-believe-you-should-leave-out/) Roosevelt Skerrit > [Take your cap and leave my sweater cause we have nothing left to weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-urban/take-your-cap-and-leave-my-sweater-cause-we-have-nothing-left-to/) [Keith Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-urban/) > [I try to leave my work at the door when I leave the set. It's almost like summer camp. You go in hard, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/i-try-to-leave-my-work-at-the-door-when-i-leave-the-set-it-s-almost/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [It is our job to make a difference and leave the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karol-g/it-is-our-job-to-make-a-difference-and-leave-the-world-a-better-place/) [Karol G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karol-g/) > [In a portrait, you always leave part of yourself behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/in-a-portrait-you-always-leave-part-of-yourself-behind/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) Browse all 3,701 Leave quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I leave, reality will devour me. 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