---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why am I here? I was falling off a cliff…"
description: "\"“Why am I here? I was falling off a cliff just a minute ago, and then I landed on your floor.” Estelle looked down to the floor, up at the ceiling, and..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/e-e-martin-39065_quote_why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff_2175876.jpg"
---

#  Why am I here? I was falling off a cliff just a minute…

![“Why am I here? I was falling off a cliff just a minute ago, and then I landed on your floor.” Estelle looked down to the floor, up at the ceiling, and then to Riley. Estelle said, “There is no cliff above my ceiling.” quote by E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/e-e-martin-39065_quote_why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff_2175876.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/e-e-martin-39065_quote_why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff_2175876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/e-e-martin-39065_quote_why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff_2175876.jpg)

> ““Why am I here? I was falling off a cliff just a minute ago, and then I landed on your floor.” Estelle looked down to the floor, up at the ceiling, and then to Riley. Estelle said, “There is no cliff above my ceiling.””

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A surreal moment of falling and landing illustrates unexpected safety in precarious situations.

**In simple terms:** Unexpected safety appears.

Key Takeaway

Embrace surprise safety.

Themes

survival perception reality

Mood

thoughtful curious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- adventure
- dangerous activities
- mental health
- creative writing

Key Concepts

existentialism absurdity

Questions to Reflect On

- What does the “cliff” symbolize for you?
- How do you find safety after a fall?

A Different Perspective

Interpretation may vary widely.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [I was worried about losing until I looked down the floor and saw Dale Brown. Then I knew we had a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/i-was-worried-about-losing-until-i-looked-down-the-floor-and-saw-dale/)

[Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/)

> [“I walked back to the kitchen, each foot a lead weight. Delia stood there, holding a sponge and staring down at the linoleum. "Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-walked-back-to-the-kitchen-each-foot-a-lead-weight-delia-stood/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“The midwife looked about on the floor, as if worried for a moment that Alice's nose had actually dropped off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-byng/the-midwife-looked-about-on-the-floor-as-if-worried-for-a-moment-that/)

[Georgia Byng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-byng/)

> [I was slicing sweet potatoes. A mandoline slicer popped my thumb right off. About a minute later, I looked on the floor, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/i-was-slicing-sweet-potatoes-a-mandoline-slicer-popped-my-thumb-right/)

[Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/)

> [“All right, I figure I got a beating coming. Let's get at it." "That's not why I came." "Why did you then?" "To find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catt-ford/all-right-i-figure-i-got-a-beating-coming-let-s-get-at-it-that-s-not/)

[Catt Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catt-ford/)

> [“Lincoln quickly looked up from the floor. His mother was already looking down at him like she’d just confronted him with damning criminal evidence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/lincoln-quickly-looked-up-from-the-floor-his-mother-was-already/)

[rainbow rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Falling in love is not the problem; hitting your head on the way down is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/falling-in-love-is-not-the-problem-hitting-your-head-on-the-way-down/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [“Once upon a time, there was a man as great as the gods… But even the great can tremble with fear. Even the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-man-as-great-as-the-gods-but-even-the/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [Falling for someone who will never notice you no matter how hard you try to get their attention...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/falling-for-someone-who-will-never-notice-you-no-matter-how-hard-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [They say that if you give your children too much, they don't get the joy out of work. They just want the unearned things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rinehart/they-say-that-if-you-give-your-children-too-much-they-don-t-get-the/)

[Gina Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rinehart/)

> [“If you ever falling but can't see the bottom be glad you can't because at the bottom it's either a soft land or rocks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelseigh-ashton/if-you-ever-falling-but-can-t-see-the-bottom-be-glad-you-can-t/)

Kelseigh Ashton

> [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/)

[Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/)

> [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/)

[Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/)

> [What if I tell you I'm falling again? what if I tell you I'm willing to stand there till you notice me again? what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-falling-again-what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-willing/)

[Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/)

> [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/)

[Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/)

## More by E.E. Martin

> [“Yeah, well that’s the thing about ignorance,” she said. “You can prove it wrong over and over and that doesn’t make it change. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/yeah-well-that-s-the-thing-about-ignorance-she-said-you-can-prove-it/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“People have died playing this?” gasped Riley. Zayne grinned and replied, “Uh huh.” “Only eight,” said Estelle. “One in the last decade.” Zayne said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/people-have-died-playing-this-gasped-riley-zayne-grinned-and-replied/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“Pretty,” said Cree. “It was very pretty.” She giggled as she stroked her green nails over her cheeks and smiled at Riley. “I suppose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/pretty-said-cree-it-was-very-pretty-she-giggled-as-she-stroked-her/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“You know, they treat Christianity more like a competition than a community,” she said. “And they know they can’t win on their own merit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/you-know-they-treat-christianity-more-like-a-competition-than-a/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“Owl brain,” Charell replied. “Made specially so ‘tis still thinking when you eat it. Keeps you smart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/owl-brain-charell-replied-made-specially-so-tis-still-thinking-when/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“But I didn’t kiss you?” “No,” she replied. Then his hand slipped away, and when Riley opened her eyes, Jaden had stepped back. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/but-i-didn-t-kiss-you-no-she-replied-then-his-hand-slipped-away-and/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“Breaking is what makes us beautiful in the end if we are brave enough to put ourselves back together. And you—you are breathtaking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/breaking-is-what-makes-us-beautiful-in-the-end-if-we-are-brave-enough/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“How do I even start?” she murmured. She pulled back and shrugged one shoulder and pressed her chin toward it. “What do I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/how-do-i-even-start-she-murmured-she-pulled-back-and-shrugged-one/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“I can say one good thing about the south. They cook like that’s what life’s about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/i-can-say-one-good-thing-about-the-south-they-cook-like-that-s-what/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

> [“I nearly laughed. “So he creates us so He can break us apart and watch us crumble and crawl to Him?” It sounded harsh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/i-nearly-laughed-so-he-creates-us-so-he-can-break-us-apart-and-watch/)

[E.E. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

[Explore all 11 E.E. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/)

## More Falling quotes

> [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/)

[Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/)

> [What if I tell you I'm falling again? what if I tell you I'm willing to stand there till you notice me again? what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-falling-again-what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-willing/)

[Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/)

> [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/)

[Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/)

> [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/)

[Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/)

> [“If you ever falling but can't see the bottom be glad you can't because at the bottom it's either a soft land or rocks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelseigh-ashton/if-you-ever-falling-but-can-t-see-the-bottom-be-glad-you-can-t/)

Kelseigh Ashton

> [They say that if you give your children too much, they don't get the joy out of work. They just want the unearned things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rinehart/they-say-that-if-you-give-your-children-too-much-they-don-t-get-the/)

[Gina Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rinehart/)

> [Falling for someone who will never notice you no matter how hard you try to get their attention...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/falling-for-someone-who-will-never-notice-you-no-matter-how-hard-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Once upon a time, there was a man as great as the gods… But even the great can tremble with fear. Even the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-man-as-great-as-the-gods-but-even-the/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“Falling in love is not the problem; hitting your head on the way down is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/falling-in-love-is-not-the-problem-hitting-your-head-on-the-way-down/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/)

[Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/)

> [Sometimes when things seem to be falling apart, they are actually falling into place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-when-things-seem-to-be-falling-apart-they-are-actually/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The tides which flow and lapse in the Bristol Channel are often distained by the freshets of many streams falling through wooded coombes below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-williamson/the-tides-which-flow-and-lapse-in-the-bristol-channel-are-often/)

[Henry Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-williamson/)

> [Remember those walls I built? Well, baby they're tumbling down And they didn't even put up a fight They didn't even make a sound.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prettyblueeyes/remember-those-walls-i-built-well-baby-they-re-tumbling-down-and-they/)

PrettyBlueEyes

> [“When you were young you talked about "falling in love" with such amusing gravity, as if it were an actual recordable event, when what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/when-you-were-young-you-talked-about-falling-in-love-with-such/)

[Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/)

Browse all 2,510 Falling quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Why am I here? I was falling off a cliff just a minute ago, and then I landed on your floor.” Estelle looked down to the floor, up at the ceiling, and then to Riley. Estelle said, “There is no cliff above my ceiling.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "E.E. Martin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff-just-a-minute-ago-and-then-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Falling"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff-just-a-minute-ago-and-then-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/e-e-martin-39065_quote_why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff_2175876.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/e-e-martin-39065_quote_why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff_2175876.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/e-e-martin-39065_quote_why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff_2175876.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Why am I here? I was falling off a cliff just a minute ago, and then I landed on your floor.” Estelle looked…” — E.E. Martin",
                "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": "E.E. Martin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-martin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Why am I here? I was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff-just-a-minute-ago-and-then-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-martin/why-am-i-here-i-was-falling-off-a-cliff-just-a-minute-ago-and-then-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
