--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And then, into the fantasy, as into a…" description: "\"And then, into the fantasy, as into a dream, would come the thought: it's not like this anymore; the world has changed. Just the way, even at that time..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/claire-messud-1372_alive_and-then-into-the-fantasy-as-into-a-drea_2515929.jpg" --- # And then, into the fantasy, as into a dream, would come… ![“And then, into the fantasy, as into a dream, would come the thought: it's not like this anymore; the world has changed. Just the way, even at that time fully two years after my mother's death, I'd catch myself thinking about her as alive; and would suddenly remember, an admonitory finger of grief…” quote by Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/claire-messud-1372_alive_and-then-into-the-fantasy-as-into-a-drea_2515929.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/claire-messud-1372_alive_and-then-into-the-fantasy-as-into-a-drea_2515929.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/claire-messud-1372_alive_and-then-into-the-fantasy-as-into-a-drea_2515929.jpg) > “And then, into the fantasy, as into a dream, would come the thought: it's not like this anymore; the world has changed. Just the way, even at that time fully two years after my mother's death, I'd catch myself thinking about her as alive; and would suddenly remember, an admonitory finger of grief upon my breast, that she was gone.” [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grief blurs reality, yet memories keep loved ones present. **In simple terms:** Grief mixes memory and present. Key Takeaway Honor memories while living now. Themes grief memory time Mood somber nostalgic Type reflective emotional When to use this quote - mourning - family gatherings - anniversary - creative writing Key Concepts Psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance remembrance and moving forward? - What rituals help you process loss? A Different Perspective Memories can hinder healing if dwelled on. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [That's the fantasy dream project, to collaborate with someone who preaches the gospel of art through music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-stark/that-s-the-fantasy-dream-project-to-collaborate-with-someone-who/) [Frances Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-stark/) > [“You feel that nothing you have learned has put down roots, that while you’re capable of entering the magical universe, you cannot remain submerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-feel-that-nothing-you-have-learned-has-put-down-roots-that-while/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“I did very much hope that he wasn't frittering away his time on nonsense when he had a fantasy to dream about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/i-did-very-much-hope-that-he-wasn-t-frittering-away-his-time-on/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [Once upon a time something happened to me. it was the sweetest thing that could ever be... a fantasy, a dream come true! it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-something-happened-to-me-it-was-the-sweetest-thing-4/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of my songs are fantasy. I can dream up all kinds of things. That's the kind of world I live in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/a-lot-of-my-songs-are-fantasy-i-can-dream-up-all-kinds-of-things-that/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [Once upon a time something happened to me, it was the sweetest thing that ever could be.. a fantasy.. a dream come true.. it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-something-happened-to-me-it-was-the-sweetest-thing-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love 'Extreme Makeover Home Edition.' It feeds my Fantasy Dream Home monster that lives inside of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dove-cameron/i-love-extreme-makeover-home-edition-it-feeds-my-fantasy-dream-home/) [Dove Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dove-cameron/) > [“I close my eyes and suddenly remember something Nina had told me the night before my first day of middle school: If you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-weingarten/i-close-my-eyes-and-suddenly-remember-something-nina-had-told-me-the/) [Lynn Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-weingarten/) > [My bed is a magical place where I suddenly remember everything I was supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-bed-is-a-magical-place-where-i-suddenly-remember-everything-i-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I suddenly remember something I've been told about fear. That amid a hail of machine gun fire you notice the existence of your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/i-suddenly-remember-something-i-ve-been-told-about-fear-that-amid-a/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [“On days like this," Cass said, suddenly, "I remember what it was like--I think I remember--to be young, very young." She looked up at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/on-days-like-this-cass-said-suddenly-i-remember-what-it-was-like-i/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [Lately, I was too focused on being lonely and miserable. But now, I suddenly remember how awesome it is being single and independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lately-i-was-too-focused-on-being-lonely-and-miserable-but-now-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Isn't it wonderful to be alive? You know, you can forget all about it. Then suddenly you remember, and think of all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/isn-t-it-wonderful-to-be-alive-you-know-you-can-forget-all-about-it/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [It's amazing how one day someone walks into your life and suddenly you can't remember how you lived life without them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/it-s-amazing-how-one-day-someone-walks-into-your-life-and-suddenly/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [They both seemed to understand that describing it was beyond their powers, the gratitude that spreads through your body when a burden gets lifted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/they-both-seemed-to-understand-that-describing-it-was-beyond-their/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) ## More by Claire Messud > [I'd wish for my work to be remembered rather than myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-d-wish-for-my-work-to-be-remembered-rather-than-myself/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [I have said it somewhere - our literary lived lives are as important as our literally lived lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-have-said-it-somewhere-our-literary-lived-lives-are-as-important-as/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Life is about deciding what matters. It’s about the fantasy that determines the reality. Have you ever asked yourself whether you’d rather fly or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/life-is-about-deciding-what-matters-it-s-about-the-fantasy-that/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [Life's funny. You have to find a way to keep going, to keep laughing, even after you realize that none of your dreams will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/life-s-funny-you-have-to-find-a-way-to-keep-going-to-keep-laughing/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [It's the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-s-the-strangest-thing-about-being-human-to-know-so-much-to/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [The fictional narratives that television, film, and the news provide for girls and young women are appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/the-fictional-narratives-that-television-film-and-the-news-provide/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“I don't want to sleep,' my mother said. 'I want -- for God's sake, I want to wake up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-don-t-want-to-sleep-my-mother-said-i-want-for-god-s-sake-i-want-to/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“It was supposed to say “Great Artist” on my tombstone, but if I died right now it would say “such a good teacher/​daughter/​friend” instead;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-was-supposed-to-say-great-artist-on-my-tombstone-but-if-i-died/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Live, my dear Nora. Satisfy your hunger. There's food all around you, you know.' 'What kind of food, I'd like to know?' 'Ah'-he smiled-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/live-my-dear-nora-satisfy-your-hunger-there-s-food-all-around-you-you/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [I digress a lot - it's how I experience the world. I would like to write in a way that will convey that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-digress-a-lot-it-s-how-i-experience-the-world-i-would-like-to-write/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [We think that - as kids, you know - that kids make up stories and live in a sort of fictional place, but that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/we-think-that-as-kids-you-know-that-kids-make-up-stories-and-live-in/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“It makes sense that if you stand almost daily in the middle of a perfect crescent of shore, with a vista open to eternity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-makes-sense-that-if-you-stand-almost-daily-in-the-middle-of-a/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Once aware of my isolation, I was afraid not of it but of its interruption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/once-aware-of-my-isolation-i-was-afraid-not-of-it-but-of-its/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“who I am in my head, very few people really get to see that. Almost none. It’s the most precious gift I can give,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/who-i-am-in-my-head-very-few-people-really-get-to-see-that-almost/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“My everyday Appleton life, my phones calls to my father, my occasional beers with friends, my Saturday-morning jobs around the reservoir - what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/my-everyday-appleton-life-my-phones-calls-to-my-father-my-occasional/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) [Explore all 249 Claire Messud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And then, into the fantasy, as into a dream, would come the thought: it's not like this anymore; the world has changed. 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