--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On the heels of his words, the front…" description: "\"“On the heels of his words, the front window exploded. As if time slowed down, he watched the shards of glass scatter across the floor, luminous crysta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/barry-brennessel-26233_exploded_on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-wind_2313900.jpg" --- # On the heels of his words, the front window exploded. As… ![“On the heels of his words, the front window exploded. As if time slowed down, he watched the shards of glass scatter across the floor, luminous crystals dancing about the wooden slats of the floor like insects scurrying in choreographed retreat.” quote by Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/barry-brennessel-26233_exploded_on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-wind_2313900.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/barry-brennessel-26233_exploded_on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-wind_2313900.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/barry-brennessel-26233_exploded_on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-wind_2313900.jpg) > ““On the heels of his words, the front window exploded. As if time slowed down, he watched the shards of glass scatter across the floor, luminous crystals dancing about the wooden slats of the floor like insects scurrying in choreographed retreat.”” [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sudden violent event freezes time, turning broken glass into luminous, dancing fragments, symbolizing chaotic beauty. **In simple terms:** Chaos creates unexpected beauty. Key Takeaway Find meaning in sudden change. Themes chaos beauty time perception Mood melancholic contemplative Type literary descriptive When to use this quote - crisis - artistic inspiration - mindfulness - grief processing Key Concepts metaphor visual imagery Questions to Reflect On - How do you perceive chaos? - What does the glass represent for you? A Different Perspective Interpretation may vary; not everyone sees beauty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“A shooting star, a cloud, or some sign from the Goddess…? One second later, the world shattered. Her father's grumbling voice was suddenly cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-shreffler/a-shooting-star-a-cloud-or-some-sign-from-the-goddess-one-second/) [T.L. Shreffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-shreffler/) > [I made a record album in 1960 and it exploded, and I got all these offers for TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-made-a-record-album-in-1960-and-it-exploded-and-i-got-all-these/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [As a school boy I played with a plastic grenade, it was grey and with caps, it was loaded. In the dirt we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paxton/as-a-school-boy-i-played-with-a-plastic-grenade-it-was-grey-and-with/) [Tom Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paxton/) > [And then the world exploded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/and-then-the-world-exploded/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I have an amazing social-media wing man who manages my Facebook fan site. All my blogs get copied there. My e-mail in-box exploded, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-have-an-amazing-social-media-wing-man-who-manages-my-facebook-fan/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [“It'd be awful if the world exploded, it's so wonderfully splendid”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/it-d-be-awful-if-the-world-exploded-it-s-so-wonderfully-splendid/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) > [“The rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.” And the room exploded into noise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/the-rumors-of-my-death-are-greatly-exaggerated-and-the-room-exploded/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“Rosalind exploded with a shriek worthy of a tea-kettle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-clifton/rosalind-exploded-with-a-shriek-worthy-of-a-tea-kettle/) Emma Clifton > [Curran and I mixed about as well as glycerin and nitric acid: put us together, shake a bit, and hit the deck as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/curran-and-i-mixed-about-as-well-as-glycerin-and-nitric-acid-put-us/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Drop heavy,” Kaz shouted, and Wylan let loose with every rocket, flash bomb, and bit of demo he’d been able to fit into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/drop-heavy-kaz-shouted-and-wylan-let-loose-with-every-rocket-flash/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Some prescient American collectors, including Vicki and Kent Logan and Mera and Donald Rubell, began collecting Chinese art before 2000 with a genuine passion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/some-prescient-american-collectors-including-vicki-and-kent-logan-and/) [Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/) > [Bruno Mars had a Grenade, and Taio Cruz had Dynamite, so they both threw them at Katy Perry who exploded like a Firework. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-mimmos/bruno-mars-had-a-grenade-and-taio-cruz-had-dynamite-so-they-both/) Mc Mimmos > [As a graduate student at Oxford in 1963, I began writing about books in revolutionary France, helping to found the discipline of book history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-darnton/as-a-graduate-student-at-oxford-in-1963-i-began-writing-about-books/) [Robert Darnton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-darnton/) > [“Your explanation is good, but your herring doesn't fry, as we say in Ramaldah," he exploded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ashling/your-explanation-is-good-but-your-herring-doesn-t-fry-as-we-say-in/) [Andrew Ashling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ashling/) > [“A loud boom exploded the air, making Thomas jump. It was followed by a horrible crunching, grinding sound. He stumbled backward, fell to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/a-loud-boom-exploded-the-air-making-thomas-jump-it-was-followed-by-a/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) ## More by Barry Brennessel > [“She stood there, half lit by the street lamp, her diamond choker sparkling. A knot formed in my stomach, and I knew it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/she-stood-there-half-lit-by-the-street-lamp-her-diamond-choker/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“It rested flat on a surface. A cushion or a mattress. The toes curled up. Then another foot appeared, suspended in air until a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/it-rested-flat-on-a-surface-a-cushion-or-a-mattress-the-toes-curled/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“He lunged for me, but stopped short of hitting me, instead taking hold of my arm and pulling me toward him. ‘If I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/he-lunged-for-me-but-stopped-short-of-hitting-me-instead-taking-hold/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“The Ondřej feeling swept over him. The very thing he tried to explain to Sheila over the phone from France. The feeling that drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/the-ond-ej-feeling-swept-over-him-the-very-thing-he-tried-to-explain/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“Alicia, enough!’ We all froze. My dad had only invoked his Code Red Warning: You’ve Done It Now voice twice in my lifetime. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/alicia-enough-we-all-froze-my-dad-had-only-invoked-his-code-red/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“She could work any situation to her advantage, instantly turning herself into the life of the party, whether it was some soirée for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/she-could-work-any-situation-to-her-advantage-instantly-turning/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“I’m not certain how we accomplished it, but roughly three and a quarter hours later, as the moon dipped to its lowest point in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/i-m-not-certain-how-we-accomplished-it-but-roughly-three-and-a/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“You know,’ the woman said, ‘I’ve heard tell that there’s a speck of gold for every ten thousand bread crumbs on the planet. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/you-know-the-woman-said-i-ve-heard-tell-that-there-s-a-speck-of-gold/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“The little plastic figure swung back and forth against Marco’s hip, as if trying to keep up with him. No — not keeping up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/the-little-plastic-figure-swung-back-and-forth-against-marco-s-hip-as/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“I know we haven’t been formally introduced, Nathan,’ she said, ‘but I feel like I know practically everything about you.’ She picked up my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/i-know-we-haven-t-been-formally-introduced-nathan-she-said-but-i-feel/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“She turned. ‘I’m quite serious, you know. I plan to murder him tonight.’ She touched my leg again; my muscles tensed. ‘I’ve got it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/she-turned-i-m-quite-serious-you-know-i-plan-to-murder-him-tonight/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“I stood for a few moments, looking for the Little Dipper. ‘Howdy, Breandan,’ I whispered. ‘Look at me now. Can you believe my predicament?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/i-stood-for-a-few-moments-looking-for-the-little-dipper-howdy/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“You’re a bastard,’ she whispered, her hands beginning to tremble as she scooped up one of the figurines. I could tell by the costume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/you-re-a-bastard-she-whispered-her-hands-beginning-to-tremble-as-she/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“I am yours, too,” I whispered back, and those several minutes were the happiest in my life, eclipsing everything that came before and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/i-am-yours-too-i-whispered-back-and-those-several-minutes-were-the/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) > [“He's a drunken bum is what I'm talking about. And he might be a jailed one, too, if I report his hittin' me. Unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/he-s-a-drunken-bum-is-what-i-m-talking-about-and-he-might-be-a-jailed/) [Barry Brennessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) [Explore all 22 Barry Brennessel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/) ## More Exploded quotes > [“A shooting star, a cloud, or some sign from the Goddess…? One second later, the world shattered. Her father's grumbling voice was suddenly cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-shreffler/a-shooting-star-a-cloud-or-some-sign-from-the-goddess-one-second/) [T.L. Shreffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-shreffler/) > [“Your explanation is good, but your herring doesn't fry, as we say in Ramaldah," he exploded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ashling/your-explanation-is-good-but-your-herring-doesn-t-fry-as-we-say-in/) [Andrew Ashling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ashling/) > [As a graduate student at Oxford in 1963, I began writing about books in revolutionary France, helping to found the discipline of book history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-darnton/as-a-graduate-student-at-oxford-in-1963-i-began-writing-about-books/) [Robert Darnton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-darnton/) > [Bruno Mars had a Grenade, and Taio Cruz had Dynamite, so they both threw them at Katy Perry who exploded like a Firework. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-mimmos/bruno-mars-had-a-grenade-and-taio-cruz-had-dynamite-so-they-both/) Mc Mimmos > [Some prescient American collectors, including Vicki and Kent Logan and Mera and Donald Rubell, began collecting Chinese art before 2000 with a genuine passion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/some-prescient-american-collectors-including-vicki-and-kent-logan-and/) [Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/) > [“Drop heavy,” Kaz shouted, and Wylan let loose with every rocket, flash bomb, and bit of demo he’d been able to fit into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/drop-heavy-kaz-shouted-and-wylan-let-loose-with-every-rocket-flash/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Curran and I mixed about as well as glycerin and nitric acid: put us together, shake a bit, and hit the deck as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/curran-and-i-mixed-about-as-well-as-glycerin-and-nitric-acid-put-us/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Rosalind exploded with a shriek worthy of a tea-kettle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-clifton/rosalind-exploded-with-a-shriek-worthy-of-a-tea-kettle/) Emma Clifton > [“The rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.” And the room exploded into noise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/the-rumors-of-my-death-are-greatly-exaggerated-and-the-room-exploded/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“It'd be awful if the world exploded, it's so wonderfully splendid”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/it-d-be-awful-if-the-world-exploded-it-s-so-wonderfully-splendid/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) > [I have an amazing social-media wing man who manages my Facebook fan site. All my blogs get copied there. My e-mail in-box exploded, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-have-an-amazing-social-media-wing-man-who-manages-my-facebook-fan/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [And then the world exploded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/and-then-the-world-exploded/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [As a school boy I played with a plastic grenade, it was grey and with caps, it was loaded. In the dirt we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paxton/as-a-school-boy-i-played-with-a-plastic-grenade-it-was-grey-and-with/) [Tom Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paxton/) > [I made a record album in 1960 and it exploded, and I got all these offers for TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-made-a-record-album-in-1960-and-it-exploded-and-i-got-all-these/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [“A loud boom exploded the air, making Thomas jump. It was followed by a horrible crunching, grinding sound. He stumbled backward, fell to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/a-loud-boom-exploded-the-air-making-thomas-jump-it-was-followed-by-a/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) Browse all 92 Exploded quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On the heels of his words, the front window exploded. As if time slowed down, he watched the shards of glass scatter across the floor, luminous crystals dancing about the wooden slats of the floor like insects scurrying in choreographed retreat.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Brennessel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-window-exploded-as-if-time-slowed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Exploded" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-window-exploded-as-if-time-slowed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/barry-brennessel-26233_exploded_on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-wind_2313900.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/barry-brennessel-26233_exploded_on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-wind_2313900.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/barry-brennessel-26233_exploded_on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-wind_2313900.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On the heels of his words, the front window exploded. As if time slowed down, he watched the shards of glass…” — Barry Brennessel", "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": "Barry Brennessel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-brennessel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“On the heels of his words,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-window-exploded-as-if-time-slowed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-brennessel/on-the-heels-of-his-words-the-front-window-exploded-as-if-time-slowed/#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 } } ] } ```