--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And that’s when it hit me. Like a…" description: "\"“And that’s when it hit me. Like a building had fallen on me. The oxygen in my chest swirled into a vortex created by a single instant of horrifying cl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/dennis-lehane-1503_horrifying_and-that-s-when-it-hit-me-like-a-buildin_193008.jpg" --- # And that’s when it hit me. Like a building had fallen on… ![“And that’s when it hit me. Like a building had fallen on me. The oxygen in my chest swirled into a vortex created by a single instant of horrifying clarity.” quote by Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/dennis-lehane-1503_horrifying_and-that-s-when-it-hit-me-like-a-buildin_193008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/dennis-lehane-1503_horrifying_and-that-s-when-it-hit-me-like-a-buildin_193008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/dennis-lehane-1503_horrifying_and-that-s-when-it-hit-me-like-a-buildin_193008.jpg) > ““And that’s when it hit me. Like a building had fallen on me. The oxygen in my chest swirled into a vortex created by a single instant of horrifying clarity.”” [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## 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, overwhelming realization hits like a crushing weight, exposing a terrifying clarity. **In simple terms:** A shocking insight hits hard and clear. Key Takeaway Embrace the moment of clarity, however painful. Themes awakening clarity shock selfrealization Mood intense reflective Type narrative emotional When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative block - emotional breakthrough - decision making Key Concepts existential crisis momentary epiphany Questions to Reflect On - What does this clarity reveal about your current path? - How can you channel this shock into constructive change? A Different Perspective Such moments can be paralyzing and may lead to impulsive actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chest Swirled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chest-swirled-2033962/) [Fallen Oxygen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallen-oxygen-2033960/) [Horrifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrifying/) [Horrifying Clarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrifying-clarity-2033959/) [Instant Horrifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instant-horrifying-2033961/) ## Related quotes > [We would go to photo sessions and it was just the most ridiculous stuff. It was like, 'Here, lick on these lollipops.' 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It was horrifying-until we'd eat them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odette-yustman/i-grew-up-on-a-farm-i-d-watch-my-grandfather-shoot-our-pigs-in-the/) [Odette Yustman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odette-yustman/) > [There's nothing more horrifying than the possibility or the idea that you will just fade away into obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-maron/there-s-nothing-more-horrifying-than-the-possibility-or-the-idea-that/) [Marc Maron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-maron/) > [Haymitch in my head full-time. Horrifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/haymitch-in-my-head-full-time-horrifying/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“ Nebraska is raw, primitive, ancient, other-worldly, spiritual, nihilistic, heartbreaking, horrifying and a whole bunch of other things that come to you like apparitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-burke/nebraska-is-raw-primitive-ancient-other-worldly-spiritual-nihilistic/) [David Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-burke/) > [I just like a dirty, crumbling city. The Gotham I imagine is enticing and horrifying at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-bermejo/i-just-like-a-dirty-crumbling-city-the-gotham-i-imagine-is-enticing/) [Lee Bermejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-bermejo/) > [Nobody panics when things go “according to plan”. Even if the plan is horrifying!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/nobody-panics-when-things-go-according-to-plan-even-if-the-plan-is/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [Once we open the door to the plutonium economy, we expose ourselves to absolutely terrible, horrifying risks from these people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/once-we-open-the-door-to-the-plutonium-economy-we-expose-ourselves-to/) [David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/) > [The love for this country that I learned from my parents made the January 6 attack on the Capitol all the more horrifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/the-love-for-this-country-that-i-learned-from-my-parents-made-the/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [There's nothing more horrifying than a miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uknown/there-s-nothing-more-horrifying-than-a-miracle/) [Uknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uknown/) > [Even as a kid, I saw the world in my own way and thought most things that were different were beautiful and magical. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/even-as-a-kid-i-saw-the-world-in-my-own-way-and-thought-most-things/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [There is nothing more horrifying than stupidity in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/there-is-nothing-more-horrifying-than-stupidity-in-action/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I remember seeing 'The Babadook' and I thought that was such a wonderfully dramatic story but told with these horrifying elements, and that's incredible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-gabriel/i-remember-seeing-the-babadook-and-i-thought-that-was-such-a/) [Betty Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-gabriel/) > [I feel like I'm witnessing the systematic destruction of a people's ability to survive. It's horrifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-corrie/i-feel-like-i-m-witnessing-the-systematic-destruction-of-a-people-s/) [Rachel Corrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-corrie/) ## More by Dennis Lehane > [He wondered if this was what clinical depression felt like, a total numbness, a weary lack of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-wondered-if-this-was-what-clinical-depression-felt-like-a-total/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [I held her, he wanted to say, and if I knew for certain that all it would take to hold her again would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-held-her-he-wanted-to-say-and-if-i-knew-for-certain-that-all-it/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Everyone I know lies, breaks their word, and has perfectly legitimate excuses for why they do. Except you. Haven't you ever noticed that? Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/everyone-i-know-lies-breaks-their-word-and-has-perfectly-legitimate/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“If a man was lucky, he was moving toward something his whole life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/if-a-man-was-lucky-he-was-moving-toward-something-his-whole-life/) [dennis lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“After my daughter was born, I'd considered buying a shotgun to ward off potention suitors fourteen or so years up the road. Now, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/after-my-daughter-was-born-i-d-considered-buying-a-shotgun-to-ward/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“I once again felt an odd flush of admiration for my partner's faith in a religion I had long ago abandoned. She doesn't advertise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-once-again-felt-an-odd-flush-of-admiration-for-my-partner-s-faith/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“And she was-definitely-a woman who did not shrink from gauntlets, but stepped up to them, and said, Okay, bring it. Bring your worst. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/and-she-was-definitely-a-woman-who-did-not-shrink-from-gauntlets-but/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Jimmy looked back over at his wife, and Celeste could feel the tenderest of aches in the look. She could feel another teardrop piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/jimmy-looked-back-over-at-his-wife-and-celeste-could-feel-the/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“She told him that he had the most beautiful voice she'd ever heard, that it sounded like whiskey and wood smoke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/she-told-him-that-he-had-the-most-beautiful-voice-she-d-ever-heard/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [My daughter squealed again and both Bubba and I winced. It’s not an attractive sound, that. 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'These silly dreams you have when you're young. I mean, what, Katie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/she-blew-a-stream-of-smoke-up-at-the-empty-clotheslines-these-silly/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“He looked back at the page, got one last glimpse before the match blew itself out. Going to find you today, Andrew. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-looked-back-at-the-page-got-one-last-glimpse-before-the-match-blew/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) [Explore all 231 Dennis Lehane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## More Horrifying quotes > [We would go to photo sessions and it was just the most ridiculous stuff. It was like, 'Here, lick on these lollipops.' And we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-caffey/we-would-go-to-photo-sessions-and-it-was-just-the-most-ridiculous/) [Charlotte Caffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-caffey/) > [I remember seeing 'The Babadook' and I thought that was such a wonderfully dramatic story but told with these horrifying elements, and that's incredible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-gabriel/i-remember-seeing-the-babadook-and-i-thought-that-was-such-a/) [Betty Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-gabriel/) > [There is nothing more horrifying than stupidity in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/there-is-nothing-more-horrifying-than-stupidity-in-action/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [Even as a kid, I saw the world in my own way and thought most things that were different were beautiful and magical. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/even-as-a-kid-i-saw-the-world-in-my-own-way-and-thought-most-things/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [There's nothing more horrifying than a miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uknown/there-s-nothing-more-horrifying-than-a-miracle/) [Uknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uknown/) > [The love for this country that I learned from my parents made the January 6 attack on the Capitol all the more horrifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/the-love-for-this-country-that-i-learned-from-my-parents-made-the/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [Once we open the door to the plutonium economy, we expose ourselves to absolutely terrible, horrifying risks from these people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/once-we-open-the-door-to-the-plutonium-economy-we-expose-ourselves-to/) [David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/) > [Nobody panics when things go “according to plan”. Even if the plan is horrifying!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/nobody-panics-when-things-go-according-to-plan-even-if-the-plan-is/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [I just like a dirty, crumbling city. The Gotham I imagine is enticing and horrifying at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-bermejo/i-just-like-a-dirty-crumbling-city-the-gotham-i-imagine-is-enticing/) [Lee Bermejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-bermejo/) > [“ Nebraska is raw, primitive, ancient, other-worldly, spiritual, nihilistic, heartbreaking, horrifying and a whole bunch of other things that come to you like apparitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-burke/nebraska-is-raw-primitive-ancient-other-worldly-spiritual-nihilistic/) [David Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-burke/) > [Haymitch in my head full-time. Horrifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/haymitch-in-my-head-full-time-horrifying/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [There's nothing more horrifying than the possibility or the idea that you will just fade away into obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-maron/there-s-nothing-more-horrifying-than-the-possibility-or-the-idea-that/) [Marc Maron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-maron/) > [I grew up on a farm. I'd watch my grandfather shoot our pigs in the head. It was horrifying-until we'd eat them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odette-yustman/i-grew-up-on-a-farm-i-d-watch-my-grandfather-shoot-our-pigs-in-the/) [Odette Yustman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odette-yustman/) > [Inequality reigns in horrifying ways, and not everyone can even read, but the world of media and advertising withholds very little from the imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/inequality-reigns-in-horrifying-ways-and-not-everyone-can-even-read/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [I feel like I'm witnessing the systematic destruction of a people's ability to survive. It's horrifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-corrie/i-feel-like-i-m-witnessing-the-systematic-destruction-of-a-people-s/) [Rachel Corrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-corrie/) [Browse all 87 Horrifying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrifying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And that’s when it hit me. Like a building had fallen on me. 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