--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She blew a stream of smoke up at the…" description: "\"“She blew a stream of smoke up at the empty clotheslines. 'These silly dreams you have when you're young. I mean, what, Katie and Brendan Harris were g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/dennis-lehane-1503_growing-old_she-blew-a-stream-of-smoke-up-at-the-emp_156089.jpg" --- # She blew a stream of smoke up at the empty clotheslines… ![“She blew a stream of smoke up at the empty clotheslines. 'These silly dreams you have when you're young. I mean, what, Katie and Brendan Harris were going ot make a life in Las Vegas? How long would that little Eden have lasted? Maybe they'd be on their second trailer park, second kid, but it…” quote by Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/dennis-lehane-1503_growing-old_she-blew-a-stream-of-smoke-up-at-the-emp_156089.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/dennis-lehane-1503_growing-old_she-blew-a-stream-of-smoke-up-at-the-emp_156089.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/dennis-lehane-1503_growing-old_she-blew-a-stream-of-smoke-up-at-the-emp_156089.jpg) > ““She blew a stream of smoke up at the empty clotheslines. 'These silly dreams you have when you're young. I mean, what, Katie and Brendan Harris were going ot make a life in Las Vegas? How long would that little Eden have lasted? Maybe they'd be on their second trailer park, second kid, but it would have hit them sooner or later - life isn't happily ever after and golden sunsets and shit like that. It's work. The person you love is rarely worthy of how big your love is. Because no one is worthy of that and maybe no one deserves the burden of it, either. You'll be let down. You'll be disappointed and have your trust broken and have a lot of real sucky days. You lose more than you win. You hate the person you love as much as you love him. But, shit, you roll up your sleeves and work - at everything -because that's what growing older is.”” [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. Life is hard, love is burdensome, and disappointment is inevitable; work persists despite disillusionment. **In simple terms:** Life is tough, love can hurt, but we keep working. Key Takeaway Accept hardship and keep moving forward. Themes life love disappointment Mood somber determined Type reflective realistic When to use this quote - relationships - career - resilience - daily grind Key Concepts realism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What gives you strength during tough times? - How can you find meaning beyond work? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-love/) [Growing old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) [Growing older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-older/) [Las vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/las-vegas/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Is Rare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-is-rare/) [Love Rarely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-rarely-659027/) [Love Shit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-shit-587589/) [Person Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-love/) [Person You Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-you-love/) [Sooner or later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sooner-or-later/) [Trailer park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trailer-park/) [Trust broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-broken/) [Worthy Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthy-big-1723633/) ## Related quotes > [Life isn't happily ever after... It's work. The person you love is rarely worthy of how big your love is. Because no one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/life-isn-t-happily-ever-after-it-s-work-the-person-you-love-is-rarely/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“If you truly look you’d find out that love is rarely, or perhaps, not at all, floating around you – what’s really floating is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-you-truly-look-you-d-find-out-that-love-is-rarely-or-perhaps-not/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“True love is rarely convenient. It usually strikes at the most inopportune moments. Rather like lightening. There's never a good time to be hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-baxter/true-love-is-rarely-convenient-it-usually-strikes-at-the-most/) [Claire Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-baxter/) > [Love is rarely a hypocrite; but hate--how detect and how guard against it! It lurks where you least expect it; it is created by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/love-is-rarely-a-hypocrite-but-hate-how-detect-and-how-guard-against/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [I am sitting in the trenches between love and desire.' - ART like LOVE is rarely understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-gartel/i-am-sitting-in-the-trenches-between-love-and-desire-art-like-love-is/) [Laurence Gartel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-gartel/) > [Love? That shit is like water. It evaporates leave us at times!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevoy-liburd/love-that-shit-is-like-water-it-evaporates-leave-us-at-times/) [Trevoy Liburd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevoy-liburd/) > [Degenerates, but even Ellen love our shit. Rich enough that I don't have to tell 'em that I'm rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/degenerates-but-even-ellen-love-our-shit-rich-enough-that-i-don-t/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I hate pretending,like I never wanted to love again.this is shit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelda/i-hate-pretending-like-i-never-wanted-to-love-again-this-is-shit/) [Zelda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelda/) > [Tight hugs? I love that shit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tight-hugs-i-love-that-shit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I LOVE MY SHIT TALKERS, CUZ I ALWAYS GOT THEM WORKING WIT A FULL MOUTH.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priscilla-fernandez/i-love-my-shit-talkers-cuz-i-always-got-them-working-wit-a-full-mouth/) [Priscilla Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priscilla-fernandez/) > [“We should fall in love. Love each other enough to shit at the same time on the same toilet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/we-should-fall-in-love-love-each-other-enough-to-shit-at-the-same/) [Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/) > [“I love the shit out of you. So calm down and just tell me what you need. -Simon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-clayton/i-love-the-shit-out-of-you-so-calm-down-and-just-tell-me-what-you/) [Alice Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-clayton/) > [Do you Love this Shit? Are You High Right Now? Do you ever get nervous? Are you Single? I heard You fucked Your Girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/do-you-love-this-shit-are-you-high-right-now-do-you-ever-get-nervous/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I hate the things you do,But I love the shit that you give to it me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelious-ndhou/i-hate-the-things-you-do-but-i-love-the-shit-that-you-give-to-it-me/) [Cornelious Ndhou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelious-ndhou/) ## 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. It’s high-pitched and it enters your ear canals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/my-daughter-squealed-again-and-both-bubba-and-i-winced-it-s-not-an/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“It’s been a complicated decade for me.” She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/it-s-been-a-complicated-decade-for-me-she/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“The only people who ask questions like ‘Did he want to be something besides a bartender?’ are people who can become whatever they want.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/the-only-people-who-ask-questions-like-did-he-want-to-be-something/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Love, impossible, yet there was no mistaking it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/love-impossible-yet-there-was-no-mistaking-it/) [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/) > [“What’s it about?” Danny seemed authentically curious. “The night. It’s got its own set of rules.” “Day’s got rules too.” “Oh, I know,” Joe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/what-s-it-about-danny-seemed-authentically-curious-the-night-it-s-got/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) [Explore all 231 Dennis Lehane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## More Growing old quotes > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The whole idea of it makes me feel Like I’m coming down with something, Something worse than any stomach ache Or the headaches I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/the-whole-idea-of-it-makes-me-feel-like-i-m-coming-down-with/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [“What is life? Life - that is: continually shedding something that wants to die. Life - that is: being cruel and inexorable against everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-is-life-life-that-is-continually-shedding-something-that-wants/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Growing old-it's not nice, but it's interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/growing-old-it-s-not-nice-but-it-s-interesting/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [“They were people whose lives were slow, who did not see themselves growing old, or falling sick, or dying, but who disappeared little by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/they-were-people-whose-lives-were-slow-who-did-not-see-themselves/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The time to begin most things is ten years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-time-to-begin-most-things-is-ten-years-ago/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [“Till now they send him dreams and no more deed; So doth he flame again with might for action, Forgetful of the council of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/till-now-they-send-him-dreams-and-no-more-deed-so-doth-he-flame-again/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [M is for the million things she gave me, O means only that she's growing old, T is for the tears she shed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/m-is-for-the-million-things-she-gave-me-o-means-only-that-she-s/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [The people I've respected most in the industry over the years - Paul Newman, for instance. I just loved the way he handled growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-people-i-ve-respected-most-in-the-industry-over-the-years-paul/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I look forward to growing old and wise and audacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/i-look-forward-to-growing-old-and-wise-and-audacious/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [“The freedom of growing older is that one is no longer obliged to dislike someone simply because they dislike you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/the-freedom-of-growing-older-is-that-one-is-no-longer-obliged-to/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [“Sometimes seeing the changes in one another had the opposite effect and actually comforted them. Seeing that they weren’t alone in growing older, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/sometimes-seeing-the-changes-in-one-another-had-the-opposite-effect/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [“But the disastrous walk reminded me that I had reached an age where only careful planning and a steady eye would keep me safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-darling/but-the-disastrous-walk-reminded-me-that-i-had-reached-an-age-where/) [Lynn Darling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-darling/) > [I think, is wonderful about growing older, is appreciation for the miracle of existence, of life. I thank God every day. I also do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-streisand/i-think-is-wonderful-about-growing-older-is-appreciation-for-the/) [Barbra Streisand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-streisand/) > [“There was some kind of cultural cause for the decline of the ancient world. It was neither corruption of public spirit nor Christianity. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/there-was-some-kind-of-cultural-cause-for-the-decline-of-the-ancient/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) [Browse all 577 Growing old quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She blew a stream of smoke up at the empty clotheslines. 'These silly dreams you have when you're young. I mean, what, Katie and Brendan Harris were going ot make a life in Las Vegas? How long would that little Eden have lasted? Maybe they'd be on their second trailer park, second kid, but it would have hit them sooner or later - life isn't happily ever after and golden sunsets and shit like that. It's work. The person you love is rarely worthy of how big your love is. Because no one is worthy of that and maybe no one deserves the burden of it, either. You'll be let down. You'll be disappointed and have your trust broken and have a lot of real sucky days. You lose more than you win. You hate the person you love as much as you love him. 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