--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I opened both eyes. Dread was sitting on…" description: "\"“I opened both eyes. Dread was sitting on my chest as if it were an animal. I mean, dread so real it had physical presence, like a Labrador retriever I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/claire-cook-14781_quote_i-opened-both-eyes-dread-was-sitting-on_855353.jpg" --- # I opened both eyes. Dread was sitting on my chest as if it… ![“I opened both eyes. Dread was sitting on my chest as if it were an animal. I mean, dread so real it had physical presence, like a Labrador retriever I could teach tricks to. Here, Dread. Sit, Dread. Roll over, Dread. Play dead, Dread.” quote by Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/claire-cook-14781_quote_i-opened-both-eyes-dread-was-sitting-on_855353.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/claire-cook-14781_quote_i-opened-both-eyes-dread-was-sitting-on_855353.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/claire-cook-14781_quote_i-opened-both-eyes-dread-was-sitting-on_855353.jpg) > ““I opened both eyes. Dread was sitting on my chest as if it were an animal. I mean, dread so real it had physical presence, like a Labrador retriever I could teach tricks to. Here, Dread. Sit, Dread. Roll over, Dread. Play dead, Dread.”” [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dread feels tangible, like a pet that can be commanded, showing how anxiety can be faced with humor and control. **In simple terms:** Anxiety can be treated like a trainable animal. Key Takeaway Use humor to confront and manage fear. Themes mental health anxiety humor Mood reflective lighthearted Type inspirational psychological When to use this quote - therapy sessions - stressful workday - public speaking - nighttime worries Key Concepts personification cognitive coping Questions to Reflect On - What “tricks” can you teach your anxiety? - When does humor become avoidance? A Different Perspective Humor may not fully resolve deep‑seated trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dread/) [Dread Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dread-real-795389/) [Dread Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dread-sit-795387/) [Dread Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dread-sitting-795388/) [Sit Dread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-dread-795386/) ## Related quotes > [You dread that there will be real problems during filming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-fiennes/you-dread-that-there-will-be-real-problems-during-filming/) [Ralph Fiennes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-fiennes/) > [When we think of globalization we are thinking in part of structures and institutions that have been developed over time and that have allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/when-we-think-of-globalization-we-are-thinking-in-part-of-structures/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life. ... The unexpected around the corner gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/many-live-in-dread-of-what-is-coming-why-should-we-the-unknown-puts/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [Why exactly are we so frightened of death that we avoid looking at it altogether? Somewhere, deep down, we know we cannot avoid facing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/why-exactly-are-we-so-frightened-of-death-that-we-avoid-looking-at-it/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [There is a certain freedom in giving up all hope. One is no longer bound by the cords of dread or fear; you simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/there-is-a-certain-freedom-in-giving-up-all-hope-one-is-no-longer/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Back to the bad. Makes them mad. Say I won't . But you'll see it when I do. Don't have a clue? Well, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/back-to-the-bad-makes-them-mad-say-i-won-t-but-you-ll-see-it-when-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The psychological condition of fear is divorced from any concrete and true immediate danger. It comes in many forms: unease, worry, anxiety, nervousness, tension,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-psychological-condition-of-fear-is-divorced-from-any-concrete-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I think most amateurs dread playing a 180-plus-yard par 3 even more than a hard par 4. Part of it is psychological: You think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-els/i-think-most-amateurs-dread-playing-a-180-plus-yard-par-3-even-more/) [Ernie Els](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-els/) > [I think writer's block is simply the dread that you are going to write something horrible. But as a writer, I believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-blount-jr/i-think-writer-s-block-is-simply-the-dread-that-you-are-going-to/) [Roy Blount, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-blount-jr/) > [The advance of science spares us from irrational dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-advance-of-science-spares-us-from-irrational-dread/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [Present sufferings seem far greater to men than those they merely dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/present-sufferings-seem-far-greater-to-men-than-those-they-merely/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [Oh, I'm being eaten By a boa constrictor, A boa constrictor, A boa constrictor, I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor, And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/oh-i-m-being-eaten-by-a-boa-constrictor-a-boa-constrictor-a-boa/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Claire Cook > [“even reflected glory can be intoxicating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/even-reflected-glory-can-be-intoxicating/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [Maybe part of find what you wanted was recognizing what you didn't want. Maybe there was hope for me yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/maybe-part-of-find-what-you-wanted-was-recognizing-what-you-didn-t/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [“You can try to avoid getting hurt six ways from Sunday, but it still might happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/you-can-try-to-avoid-getting-hurt-six-ways-from-sunday-but-it-still/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [“That’s the way it has to be. If you’re not really into something, you don’t put the time in, so you don’t get good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/that-s-the-way-it-has-to-be-if-you-re-not-really-into-something-you/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [Relationships, the ones that last anyway, are really an extended game of Let's Make A Deal .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/relationships-the-ones-that-last-anyway-are-really-an-extended-game/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [“There were lots of kinds of men in the world. There were lots of kinds of dogs in the world. 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But what you don't realize is that, by not making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/your-problem-my-darling-daughter-is-that-you-re-afraid-you-re-going/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [If plan A doesn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters - 204 if you're in Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/if-plan-a-doesn-t-work-the-alphabet-has-25-more-letters-204-if-you-re/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [“I just figured that was the life I picked, so I had to make the most of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/i-just-figured-that-was-the-life-i-picked-so-i-had-to-make-the-most/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [“I confronted the fact that I was not only talking to a dog, but answering for one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/i-confronted-the-fact-that-i-was-not-only-talking-to-a-dog-but/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [Why is it that even when you're trying your hardest not to get attached, something still sneaks up on you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/why-is-it-that-even-when-you-re-trying-your-hardest-not-to-get/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [“You never know what you're going to get with a pinball game," John said. "It's a lot like life. You can't control it, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/you-never-know-what-you-re-going-to-get-with-a-pinball-game-john-said/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [“I had a system, too, though I was pretty sure I’d ever acknowledged it before, even to myself. My closet was arranged by size:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/i-had-a-system-too-though-i-was-pretty-sure-i-d-ever-acknowledged-it/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) > [“Great, you ruined my life and you don’t even remember it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-cook/great-you-ruined-my-life-and-you-don-t-even-remember-it/) [Claire Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) [Explore all 45 Claire Cook quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-cook/) ## More Dread quotes > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Oh, I'm being eaten By a boa constrictor, A boa constrictor, A boa constrictor, I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor, And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/oh-i-m-being-eaten-by-a-boa-constrictor-a-boa-constrictor-a-boa/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [Present sufferings seem far greater to men than those they merely dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/present-sufferings-seem-far-greater-to-men-than-those-they-merely/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [The advance of science spares us from irrational dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-advance-of-science-spares-us-from-irrational-dread/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [I think writer's block is simply the dread that you are going to write something horrible. But as a writer, I believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-blount-jr/i-think-writer-s-block-is-simply-the-dread-that-you-are-going-to/) [Roy Blount, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-blount-jr/) > [I think most amateurs dread playing a 180-plus-yard par 3 even more than a hard par 4. Part of it is psychological: You think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-els/i-think-most-amateurs-dread-playing-a-180-plus-yard-par-3-even-more/) [Ernie Els](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-els/) > [The psychological condition of fear is divorced from any concrete and true immediate danger. It comes in many forms: unease, worry, anxiety, nervousness, tension,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-psychological-condition-of-fear-is-divorced-from-any-concrete-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Back to the bad. Makes them mad. Say I won't . But you'll see it when I do. Don't have a clue? Well, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/back-to-the-bad-makes-them-mad-say-i-won-t-but-you-ll-see-it-when-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is a certain freedom in giving up all hope. One is no longer bound by the cords of dread or fear; you simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/there-is-a-certain-freedom-in-giving-up-all-hope-one-is-no-longer/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Why exactly are we so frightened of death that we avoid looking at it altogether? Somewhere, deep down, we know we cannot avoid facing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/why-exactly-are-we-so-frightened-of-death-that-we-avoid-looking-at-it/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life. ... The unexpected around the corner gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/many-live-in-dread-of-what-is-coming-why-should-we-the-unknown-puts/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [When we think of globalization we are thinking in part of structures and institutions that have been developed over time and that have allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/when-we-think-of-globalization-we-are-thinking-in-part-of-structures/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Communism worked honestly by officials devoid of human frailties and devoted to nothing but the good of its slaves, would have certain manifest material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/communism-worked-honestly-by-officials-devoid-of-human-frailties-and/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) [Browse all 813 Dread quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dread/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I opened both eyes. Dread was sitting on my chest as if it were an animal. 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