--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake." description: "\"“So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake.”\" — Colleen Hoover" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/colleen-hoover-124_lake_so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lak_399763.jpg" --- # So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake. ![“So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake.” quote by Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/colleen-hoover-124_lake_so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lak_399763.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/colleen-hoover-124_lake_so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lak_399763.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/colleen-hoover-124_lake_so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lak_399763.jpg) > ““So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake.”” [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character asserts personal boundaries, choosing a smaller, safer space over a larger, uncertain one. **In simple terms:** Choosing a modest, secure option over a risky, expansive one. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal safety. Themes boundaries relationships choice Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - dating - friendship negotiations - family decisions Key Concepts self‑preservation assertiveness Questions to Reflect On - When is a smaller choice wiser? - How do you balance safety and ambition? A Different Perspective May overlook potential growth in larger opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lake/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) ## Related quotes > [Ocean, Ocean I'll beat you in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/ocean-ocean-i-ll-beat-you-in-the-end/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [If you don't become the ocean, you'll be seasick every day. Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/if-you-don-t-become-the-ocean-you-ll-be-seasick-every-day-leonard/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“If something happens on the ocean, we’ll die as two people in love who are living a remarkable adventure. That’s a good way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torre-deroche/if-something-happens-on-the-ocean-we-ll-die-as-two-people-in-love-who/) Torre DeRoche > [If you don't become the ocean, you'll be seasick every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/if-you-don-t-become-the-ocean-you-ll-be-seasick-every-day/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I'm telling you to marry me Lake…because I can't live without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-m-telling-you-to-marry-me-lake-because-i-can-t-live-without-you/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Will Cooper prefers the whole Lake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/will-cooper-prefers-the-whole-lake/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Lake, I don't know what it is about you...but I like you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/lake-i-don-t-know-what-it-is-about-you-but-i-like-you/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Lake, I love you. The last thing in the world I want to do is hurt you. You know that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/lake-i-love-you-the-last-thing-in-the-world-i-want-to-do-is-hurt-you/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I'm not asking you. I'm telling you to marry me Lake...because I can't live without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-m-not-asking-you-i-m-telling-you-to-marry-me-lake-because-i-can-t/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [In Africa a thing is true at first light and a lie by noon and you have no more respect for it than for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/in-africa-a-thing-is-true-at-first-light-and-a-lie-by-noon-and-you/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [The world turns softly Not to spill its lakes and rivers, The water is held in its arms And the sky is held in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-conkling/the-world-turns-softly-not-to-spill-its-lakes-and-rivers-the-water-is/) Hilda Conkling > [“They are the largest collection of freshwater lakes in the world. They border eight U.S. states and the Canadian Providence of Ontario and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-magsamen/they-are-the-largest-collection-of-freshwater-lakes-in-the-world-they/) [Susan Magsamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-magsamen/) > [“Mungu akikubariki kipaji chako watu watasema ni laana. Maisha yako ni sawa na mto. Unakoelekea ni baharini. Lakini sasa umefika kwenye mlango wa bahari.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-akikubariki-kipaji-chako-watu-watasema-ni-laana-maisha-yako-ni/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [Life is like the ocean. It can be calm and still or rough and rigid but in the end, it is always beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-the-ocean-it-can-be-calm-and-still-or-rough-and-rigid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It’s a big ocean crossed by busy ships. I went slowly, observing much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/it-s-a-big-ocean-crossed-by-busy-ships-i-went-slowly-observing-much/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) ## More by Colleen Hoover > [Please don't allow anyone to make you feel less than what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/please-don-t-allow-anyone-to-make-you-feel-less-than-what-you-are/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Some people they grow wiser as they grow older. Unfortunately, most people just grow older.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/some-people-they-grow-wiser-as-they-grow-older-unfortunately-most/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/you-can-t-get-mad-at-a-real-ending-some-of-them-are-ugly-it-s-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I’ve been looking for you my whole damn life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-ve-been-looking-for-you-my-whole-damn-life/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I tilt my head and look at him. He's watching me, but I can't tell what his face is trying to convey. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-tilt-my-head-and-look-at-him-he-s-watching-me-but-i-can-t-tell-what/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Love and hate, despite their polar opposites, are both feelings that are induced by passion. I can handle that. It's the indifference I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/love-and-hate-despite-their-polar-opposites-are-both-feelings-that/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“We'll either come to a mutual understanding of one another, or he's going to kill me and chop me up into tiny pieces and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/we-ll-either-come-to-a-mutual-understanding-of-one-another-or-he-s/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“We kiss until the alarm sounds off on my phone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/we-kiss-until-the-alarm-sounds-off-on-my-phone/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“The sky is always beautiful. Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy, it's still beautiful to look at. It's my favourite thing because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/the-sky-is-always-beautiful-even-when-it-s-dark-or-rainy-or-cloudy-it/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Ridge: Oh, and btw, I didn't write that on your forehead. What? I run to the dresser and look in the mirror for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/ridge-oh-and-btw-i-didn-t-write-that-on-your-forehead-what-i-run-to/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I feel like my maybe someday just became my right now .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-feel-like-my-maybe-someday-just-became-my-right-now/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“That's all I need," I say. "Well...I need the lamp. And the astray. And the remote control. And the paddleball game. And you, Dean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/that-s-all-i-need-i-say-well-i-need-the-lamp-and-the-astray-and-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Because if you've never felt anything when someone's kissed you, then no one's ever really kissed you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/because-if-you-ve-never-felt-anything-when-someone-s-kissed-you-then/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Tate lays her head on my arm, and we both watch her. Our daughter. I love you so much, Sam. I’m looking down at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/tate-lays-her-head-on-my-arm-and-we-both-watch-her-our-daughter-i/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I have been entertaining the idea, Sky. Believe me. It’s just a huge step that can’t be undone once it’s taken.” “What if it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-have-been-entertaining-the-idea-sky-believe-me-it-s-just-a-huge/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) [Explore all 1,065 Colleen Hoover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) ## More Lake quotes > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [“Holy gods. He'd frozen the whole damn lake. He was THAT powerful?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/holy-gods-he-d-frozen-the-whole-damn-lake-he-was-that-powerful/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [You will find a spring by the dwelling of the dead, to the left. Next to it stands a white cypress. Do not approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustaw-herling-grudzinski/you-will-find-a-spring-by-the-dwelling-of-the-dead-to-the-left-next/) [Gustaw Herling-Grudzinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustaw-herling-grudzinski/) > [Near the lake where drooped the willow, Long time ago!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pope-morris/near-the-lake-where-drooped-the-willow-long-time-ago/) [George Pope Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pope-morris/) > [If you looked down to the bottom of my soul, you would understand fully the source of my longing and – pity me. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-looked-down-to-the-bottom-of-my-soul-you-would-understand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They are the largest collection of freshwater lakes in the world. They border eight U.S. states and the Canadian Providence of Ontario and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-magsamen/they-are-the-largest-collection-of-freshwater-lakes-in-the-world-they/) [Susan Magsamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-magsamen/) > [“The lake is always east. East is always the lake. Anywhere else he's ever been he never knows where he is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orner/the-lake-is-always-east-east-is-always-the-lake-anywhere-else-he-s/) [Peter Orner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orner/) > [“I'm not asking you. I'm telling you to marry me Lake...because I can't live without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-m-not-asking-you-i-m-telling-you-to-marry-me-lake-because-i-can-t/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Upon a hill, across a blue lake, that's where I had my first heartbreak. I still remember how it all changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/upon-a-hill-across-a-blue-lake-that-s-where-i-had-my-first-heartbreak/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I knew I would stay in this town when I found the blue enamel pot floating in the lake. The pot led me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-knew-i-would-stay-in-this-town-when-i-found-the-blue-enamel-pot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One little leak becomes a lake, Says the tiny voice in my earpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/one-little-leak-becomes-a-lake-says-the-tiny-voice-in-my-earpiece/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I grew up on the lake and spent most of that time outdoors. As a musician, I travel widely around the country and talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/i-grew-up-on-the-lake-and-spent-most-of-that-time-outdoors-as-a/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [The world turns softly Not to spill its lakes and rivers, The water is held in its arms And the sky is held in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-conkling/the-world-turns-softly-not-to-spill-its-lakes-and-rivers-the-water-is/) Hilda Conkling > [Who could be so lucky? Who comes to a lake for water and sees the reflection of moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/who-could-be-so-lucky-who-comes-to-a-lake-for-water-and-sees-the/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Lake, I love you. The last thing in the world I want to do is hurt you. You know that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/lake-i-love-you-the-last-thing-in-the-world-i-want-to-do-is-hurt-you/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) [Browse all 469 Lake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colleen Hoover" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lake/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lake/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/colleen-hoover-124_lake_so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lak_399763.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/colleen-hoover-124_lake_so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lak_399763.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/colleen-hoover-124_lake_so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lak_399763.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake.” — Colleen Hoover", "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": "Colleen Hoover", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“So you keep your ocean, I'll...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lake/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/so-you-keep-your-ocean-i-ll-take-the-lake/#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 } } ] } ```