--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was trying to drown my sorrows,” I…" description: "\"“I was trying to drown my sorrows,” I explained, looking down into the bottom of my glass, “but my sorrows learned to swim.”\" — Eliza Lentzski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/eliza-lentzski-235300_grief_i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-expla_1897108.jpg" --- # I was trying to drown my sorrows,” I explained, looking… ![“I was trying to drown my sorrows,” I explained, looking down into the bottom of my glass, “but my sorrows learned to swim.” quote by Eliza Lentzski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/eliza-lentzski-235300_grief_i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-expla_1897108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/eliza-lentzski-235300_grief_i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-expla_1897108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/eliza-lentzski-235300_grief_i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-expla_1897108.jpg) > ““I was trying to drown my sorrows,” I explained, looking down into the bottom of my glass, “but my sorrows learned to swim.”” Eliza Lentzski ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator tried to drown sorrow but the sorrow adapted, learning to “swim” within the glass, suggesting pain can persist despite attempts to suppress it. **In simple terms:** Sorrow adapts when suppressed. Key Takeaway Acknowledge pain instead of ignoring. Themes grief coping adaptation resilience self‑reflection Mood reflective somber Type narrative philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - journaling - support groups - self‑care Key Concepts psychological coping acceptance emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can confronting sorrow change its impact? A Different Perspective Denial can intensify suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) ## Related quotes > [“Life without Gratitude, is like trying to drown your sorrows by teaching them to swim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-d-longoria-jr/life-without-gratitude-is-like-trying-to-drown-your-sorrows-by/) [Raymond D. Longoria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-d-longoria-jr/) > [“There's no point in trying to drown your sorrows, Shaun; they swim better than I do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-wakefield/there-s-no-point-in-trying-to-drown-your-sorrows-shaun-they-swim/) Stuart Wakefield > [“If you ever see a man trying to drown his sorrows, kindly remind him that his sorrows can swim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pittacus-lore/if-you-ever-see-a-man-trying-to-drown-his-sorrows-kindly-remind-him/) [Pittacus Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pittacus-lore/) > [“You're beginning to make a habit of trying to drown yourself, Grace. I hope from now on you will try to restrain yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-martin/you-re-beginning-to-make-a-habit-of-trying-to-drown-yourself-grace-i/) [Kat Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-martin/) > [Katsa and Po were trying to drown each other and, judging from their hoots of laughter, enjoying it immensely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/katsa-and-po-were-trying-to-drown-each-other-and-judging-from-their/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“Trying to drown me woman?" 'You can't drown a SEAL,' she said. 'How embarrassing would that be?' 'God yes. Shoot me, hang me, let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/trying-to-drown-me-woman-you-can-t-drown-a-seal-she-said-how/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [Suddenly Po shot into the courtyard from the north vestibule whooping. Katsa, seeing him, broke into a run and they tore at each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/suddenly-po-shot-into-the-courtyard-from-the-north-vestibule-whooping/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [If you know someone who tries to drown their sorrows, you might tell them sorrows know how to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-know-someone-who-tries-to-drown-their-sorrows-you-might-tell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I tried to drown my sorrows but the bastards learned how to swim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-tried-to-drown-my-sorrows-but-the-bastards-learned-how-to-swim/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [“we’ll drown our sorrows in buckets of ice cream,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-adams/we-ll-drown-our-sorrows-in-buckets-of-ice-cream/) [Anna Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-adams/) > [I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-tried-to-drown-my-sorrows-but-the-bastards-learned-how-to-swim-and/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Tried to drown my sorrows last night but it turns out the bastards can swim!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/tried-to-drown-my-sorrows-last-night-but-it-turns-out-the-bastards/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something. People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-everyone-you-meet-is-afraid-of-something-loves-2/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [If you ever know a man who tries to drown his sorrows, kindly inform him his sorrows know how to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pittacus-lore/if-you-ever-know-a-man-who-tries-to-drown-his-sorrows-kindly-inform/) [Pittacus Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pittacus-lore/) > [“Drink never drown anyone's sorrows," he went on. "It only teaches them how to swim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/drink-never-drown-anyone-s-sorrows-he-went-on-it-only-teaches-them/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) ## More Drown quotes > [He tried to drown his troubles but they knew how to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/he-tried-to-drown-his-troubles-but-they-knew-how-to-swim/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“Let me love you, girl who came from the sea. 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She had touched him as if he were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-callihan/he-couldn-t-remember-the-last-time-human-hands-had-willingly-touched/) [Kristen Callihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-callihan/) > [“Because at night when others are sleeping, I drown myself in poetry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/because-at-night-when-others-are-sleeping-i-drown-myself-in-poetry/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) Browse all 567 Drown quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I was trying to drown my sorrows,” I explained, looking down into the bottom of my glass, “but my sorrows learned to swim.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eliza Lentzski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-lentzski/i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-explained-looking-down-into-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drown" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-lentzski/i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-explained-looking-down-into-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/eliza-lentzski-235300_grief_i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-expla_1897108.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/eliza-lentzski-235300_grief_i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-expla_1897108.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/eliza-lentzski-235300_grief_i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-expla_1897108.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was trying to drown my sorrows,” I explained, looking down into the bottom of my glass, “but my sorrows…” — Eliza Lentzski", "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": "Eliza Lentzski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-lentzski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I was trying to drown my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-lentzski/i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-explained-looking-down-into-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-lentzski/i-was-trying-to-drown-my-sorrows-i-explained-looking-down-into-the/#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 } } ] } ```