--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Grief was like that. It gradually faded…" description: "\"“Grief was like that. It gradually faded into a dull ache, until some simple sight or sound or scent hit him like a hammer blow.”\" — Cinda Williams Chima" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/cinda-williams-chima-2549_grief_grief-was-like-that-it-gradually-faded-i_2079669.jpg" --- # Grief was like that. It gradually faded into a dull ache… ![“Grief was like that. It gradually faded into a dull ache, until some simple sight or sound or scent hit him like a hammer blow.” quote by Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/cinda-williams-chima-2549_grief_grief-was-like-that-it-gradually-faded-i_2079669.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/cinda-williams-chima-2549_grief_grief-was-like-that-it-gradually-faded-i_2079669.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/cinda-williams-chima-2549_grief_grief-was-like-that-it-gradually-faded-i_2079669.jpg) > ““Grief was like that. It gradually faded into a dull ache, until some simple sight or sound or scent hit him like a hammer blow.”” [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grief slowly becomes a persistent, dull pain that can be triggered suddenly by a familiar sense. **In simple terms:** Grief lingers as a dull ache. Key Takeaway Prepare for sudden emotional triggers. Themes grief memory pain Mood somber reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - loss of a loved one - anniversary - triggering scents - therapy sessions Key Concepts psychology emotional health Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your memories? - How do you soothe sudden pain? A Different Perspective Grief’s intensity varies; some may heal faster. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dull Ache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dull-ache-1008251/) [Faded Dull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faded-dull-830495/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Grief Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief-like/) [Han alister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/han-alister-78332/) [Like Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-hammer-568030/) ## Related quotes > [Mattia was right: the days had slipped over her skin like a solvent, one after the other, each removing a very thin layer of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/mattia-was-right-the-days-had-slipped-over-her-skin-like-a-solvent/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [“So here's the truth - I love you. I love everything about you – the way you stick up for people even when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/so-here-s-the-truth-i-love-you-i-love-everything-about-you-the-way/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [Tears stung her eyes. She sank her knees next to the sleeping bench and gently raked strands of golden hair from him forehead. "Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/tears-stung-her-eyes-she-sank-her-knees-next-to-the-sleeping-bench/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [Whoa, Rebecca," Talia said smiling even wider, "Walking on the wild side, are we?" Raisa seemed to think the situation needed more explaining. "He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/whoa-rebecca-talia-said-smiling-even-wider-walking-on-the-wild-side/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [She had never felt more alive than when she lay dying in Han Alister's arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/she-had-never-felt-more-alive-than-when-she-lay-dying-in-han-alister/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [“Han smiled, then, a bright, charming smile that lit up the room, more dangerous than any blade. All you ever needed was that smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/han-smiled-then-a-bright-charming-smile-that-lit-up-the-room-more/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [“Don't ask for the truth, boy, unless you're ready to hear it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/don-t-ask-for-the-truth-boy-unless-you-re-ready-to-hear-it/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [It was a peculiar marriage of interests- Lord Averill and Captain Byrne and Lord Bayar and Han Alister agreeing on anything was as rare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/it-was-a-peculiar-marriage-of-interests-lord-averill-and-captain/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [Han spotted a child‟s homespun dolly in the ditch, pressed into the mud. 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A tiredness in his eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/home-was-merely-a-dull-ache-in-the-back-of-his-memory-a-tiredness-in/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [ \[A certain class of explanations in science are\] analgesics that dull the ache of incomprehension without removing the cause. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/a-certain-class-of-explanations-in-science-are-analgesics-that-dull/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [“You don’t have to worry about anything. The pain will be intense but it will dull into an ache you will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-starling/you-don-t-have-to-worry-about-anything-the-pain-will-be-intense-but/) [Isabella Starling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-starling/) ## More by Cinda Williams Chima > [She had never felt more alive than when she lay dying in Han Alister's arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/she-had-never-felt-more-alive-than-when-she-lay-dying-in-han-alister/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [“They fought for glory, but not for blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/they-fought-for-glory-but-not-for-blood/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [Oh, I am getting married," Raisa said sleepily. "You promised me that if I agreed to marry you, that you would make it happen."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/oh-i-am-getting-married-raisa-said-sleepily-you-promised-me-that-if-i/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [Just because you're the enemy of my enemy don't mean you're my friend, Han thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/just-because-you-re-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-don-t-mean-you-re-my-friend/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [You touch me again, you arrogant Ardenine swine, and I swear on the blood of Hanalea the warrior, I will geld you. 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Plus, you pose more of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/a-ny-time-you-buy-weapons-or-build-an-army-you-begin-to-look-for-an/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [If he even survives." She shivered, and Amon put his arm around her, drawing her into his steady warmth. "It's that bad?" Raisa nodded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/if-he-even-survives-she-shivered-and-amon-put-his-arm-around-her/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [Commander! Sir! Wake up!" Jack surfaced from sleep, wondering who the commander was and wishing he'd respond so he could go back to sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/commander-sir-wake-up-jack-surfaced-from-sleep-wondering-who-the/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [“We don’t protect them because they’re weak. We protect them because they are strong, and strong people make enemies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/we-don-t-protect-them-because-they-re-weak-we-protect-them-because/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [“Ellen rose to her feet. Jack thought for a moment she was going to storm out. Instead, she picked up the pitcher of hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/ellen-rose-to-her-feet-jack-thought-for-a-moment-she-was-going-to/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [A fiction writer is never entirely alone. Her characters are constantly whispering in her ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/a-fiction-writer-is-never-entirely-alone-her-characters-are/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [History,' Mari muttered, as if she'd overheard his thoughts. 'Why do we need to know what happened before we were born?' 'So hopefully we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/history-mari-muttered-as-if-she-d-overheard-his-thoughts-why-do-we/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [“Han stroked her hair, shifting his body under her. “Why? What are you afraid of? Thieves or wizards?” “Both,” she said. “Is it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/han-stroked-her-hair-shifting-his-body-under-her-why-what-are-you/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) [Explore all 156 Cinda Williams Chima quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) ## More Grief quotes > [“...they had lived, they'd lived intensely. But no matter how deeply you live, it comes to this in the end: one of you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-morton/they-had-lived-they-d-lived-intensely-but-no-matter-how-deeply-you/) [Brian Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-morton/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [... how much of our inner substance is it good for us to give to public griefs? The whole modern tendency to agonize over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/how-much-of-our-inner-substance-is-it-good-for-us-to-give-to-public/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“When we learn to attribute meaning to the events in our lives, we connect with our Higher Purpose, Higher Wisdom, or Source; we become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-barbara-apollon/when-we-learn-to-attribute-meaning-to-the-events-in-our-lives-we/) [Susan Barbara Apollon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-barbara-apollon/) > [Only to have a grief equal to all these tears!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/only-to-have-a-grief-equal-to-all-these-tears/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Suppressed grief suffocates, it rages within the breast, and is forced to multiply its strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/suppressed-grief-suffocates-it-rages-within-the-breast-and-is-forced/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [That Woman is in love with her own grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/that-woman-is-in-love-with-her-own-grief/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [These days grief seems like walking on a frozen river; most of the time he feels safe enough, but there is always that danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/these-days-grief-seems-like-walking-on-a-frozen-river-most-of-the/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“You've been my beacon of light in my storm of grief, and I don't know if I could live without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ashley/you-ve-been-my-beacon-of-light-in-my-storm-of-grief-and-i-don-t-know/) [Katie Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ashley/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) [Browse all 8,012 Grief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Grief was like that. 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