--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But there was a fire waiting. And there…" description: "\"“But there was a fire waiting. And there was a little meal laid out on a blanket. And there was a whole world beyond that shoreline, beyond the forest,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/emily-m-danforth-16858_beneath-the-surface_but-there-was-a-fire-waiting-and-there-w_1876101.jpg" --- # But there was a fire waiting. And there was a little meal… ![“But there was a fire waiting. And there was a little meal laid out on a blanket. And there was a whole world beyond that shoreline, beyond the forest, beyond the knuckle mountains, beyond, beyond, beyond, not beneath the surface at all, but beyond and waiting.” quote by Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/emily-m-danforth-16858_beneath-the-surface_but-there-was-a-fire-waiting-and-there-w_1876101.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/emily-m-danforth-16858_beneath-the-surface_but-there-was-a-fire-waiting-and-there-w_1876101.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/emily-m-danforth-16858_beneath-the-surface_but-there-was-a-fire-waiting-and-there-w_1876101.jpg) > ““But there was a fire waiting. And there was a little meal laid out on a blanket. And there was a whole world beyond that shoreline, beyond the forest, beyond the knuckle mountains, beyond, beyond, beyond, not beneath the surface at all, but beyond and waiting.”” [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Beyond immediate comforts lies a vast unknown, urging perseverance toward deeper horizons. **In simple terms:** Beyond comfort lies unknown horizons. Key Takeaway Seek beyond the familiar. Themes exploration growth adventure Mood hopeful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - travel - spiritual quests Key Concepts existential journey Questions to Reflect On - What does “beyond” represent for you? - How can you confront the unknown safely? A Different Perspective Fear of the unknown can halt progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beneath Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beneath-surface/) [Beneath the surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beneath-the-surface/) [Endings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endings/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Laid Blanket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laid-blanket-2619828/) [Lgbt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lgbt/) [Meal Laid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meal-laid-2619829/) [Mountains Beneath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountains-beneath-2619827/) [Shoreline Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoreline-forest-2619830/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [“Then, one on either side, they walked me to the shore, which was black and endless. But there was a fire waiting. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/then-one-on-either-side-they-walked-me-to-the-shore-which-was-black/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“A brick could be laid on a blanket, so the blanket doesn’t blow away. But why would the blanket blow away? I just turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-laid-on-a-blanket-so-the-blanket-doesn-t-blow-away/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“You can stare right at something and not see what lies beneath the surface.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-can-stare-right-at-something-and-not-see-what-lies-beneath-the/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [War doesnt start with an explosion¦.It bears far more subtlety. A simmer beneath the surface, as if bringing broth to a boil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-doesnt-start-with-an-explosion-it-bears-far-more-subtlety-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The underlying tension of a lot of my art is to try and look through the surface appearance of things. Inevitably, one way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-goldsworthy/the-underlying-tension-of-a-lot-of-my-art-is-to-try-and-look-through/) [Andy Goldsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-goldsworthy/) > [We are acquainted with a mere pellicle of the globe on which we live. Most have not delved six feet beneath the surface, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-are-acquainted-with-a-mere-pellicle-of-the-globe-on-which-we-live/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even if you couldn't see it beneath the surface, molecules were bonding, energy pushing up slowly, as something worked do hare, all alone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/even-if-you-couldn-t-see-it-beneath-the-surface-molecules-were/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“I saw the void beneath the surface of the world; it threatened to pull me under.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hartman/i-saw-the-void-beneath-the-surface-of-the-world-it-threatened-to-pull/) [Rachel Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hartman/) > [“I, who had wanted to live a life high above everyone else, ended up with a son who would rather live deep beneath the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/i-who-had-wanted-to-live-a-life-high-above-everyone-else-ended-up/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“Until then she had been blind, but when she saw those mountains, she slipped beneath the surface of the war and found the country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatjana-soli/until-then-she-had-been-blind-but-when-she-saw-those-mountains-she/) [Tatjana Soli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatjana-soli/) > [On the surface of the ocean, men wage war and destroy each other; but down here, just a few feet beneath the surface, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/on-the-surface-of-the-ocean-men-wage-war-and-destroy-each-other-but/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Be willing to face life squarely and get down beneath the surface of life where the verities and realities are to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/be-willing-to-face-life-squarely-and-get-down-beneath-the-surface-of/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [Whether it is photography, assemblage art or filmmaking, my work is to see beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christophe-agou/whether-it-is-photography-assemblage-art-or-filmmaking-my-work-is-to/) [Christophe Agou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christophe-agou/) > [Stir not murky waters if you know not the depth or the creatures that dwell beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-davis/stir-not-murky-waters-if-you-know-not-the-depth-or-the-creatures-that/) [Bryan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-davis/) > [We are true to our name. We're somewhat beneath the surface, and I think well always be to a certain extent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-thought/we-are-true-to-our-name-we-re-somewhat-beneath-the-surface-and-i/) [Black Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-thought/) ## More by Emily M. Danforth > [“Now there was photographic evidence of me with a girl. Lindsey pack the camera in her duffel while I contemplated the film inside it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/now-there-was-photographic-evidence-of-me-with-a-girl-lindsey-pack/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“We were good at this game: We could make it go on for days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/we-were-good-at-this-game-we-could-make-it-go-on-for-days/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“I've got the weed," Jane said, and we all laughed the way you laugh when you're trying to be brave in the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/i-ve-got-the-weed-jane-said-and-we-all-laughed-the-way-you-laugh-when/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“It felt really good to do something that made no sense at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/it-felt-really-good-to-do-something-that-made-no-sense-at-all/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“What is it that I’m doing again?” “You know that already,” she said. “You just think that you don’t, but you do. It’s what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/what-is-it-that-i-m-doing-again-you-know-that-already-she-said-you/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“But Ruth was wrong, too. There was more than just one other world beyond ours; there were hundreds and hundreds of them, and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/but-ruth-was-wrong-too-there-was-more-than-just-one-other-world/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“Let's rock this shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/let-s-rock-this-shit/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [In the embrace's release I caught the scent again. Unmistakable. Marijuana. These homos were high as kites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/in-the-embrace-s-release-i-caught-the-scent-again-unmistakable/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“Everything was heightened the way it always is when summer is slipping away to fall, and you're younger than eighteen, and all you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/everything-was-heightened-the-way-it-always-is-when-summer-is/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [You can't catch somebody doing something when they're not hiding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/you-can-t-catch-somebody-doing-something-when-they-re-not-hiding/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“...when I closed my eyes and saw her drinking tea and opened them and still could see her, and I wanted so much to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/when-i-closed-my-eyes-and-saw-her-drinking-tea-and-opened-them-and/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“I felt like I needed something official to show me how all of this should feel, how I should be acting, what I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/i-felt-like-i-needed-something-official-to-show-me-how-all-of-this/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“I lifted the remote control, pushed the Play button, and started the video. I guess, in that moment, I also started my new life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/i-lifted-the-remote-control-pushed-the-play-button-and-started-the/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“But whatever we once were we weren’t anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/but-whatever-we-once-were-we-weren-t-anymore/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) > [“In that moment I was as jealous of her getting to leave Montana as I'd ever been of anything or anyone in my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-m-danforth/in-that-moment-i-was-as-jealous-of-her-getting-to-leave-montana-as-i/) [Emily M. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) [Explore all 38 Emily M. Danforth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-m-danforth/) ## More Beneath the surface quotes > [“So you intend to go through life never loving anyone? Just … things?” “No. I’m looking for something more.” “More than love?” “Yes.” “Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/so-you-intend-to-go-through-life-never-loving-anyone-just-things-no-i/) [Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/) > [We are true to our name. We're somewhat beneath the surface, and I think well always be to a certain extent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-thought/we-are-true-to-our-name-we-re-somewhat-beneath-the-surface-and-i/) [Black Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-thought/) > [Stir not murky waters if you know not the depth or the creatures that dwell beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-davis/stir-not-murky-waters-if-you-know-not-the-depth-or-the-creatures-that/) [Bryan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-davis/) > [“The burning glow of fire basked him in a warm light. I feared to look at him, to study him again after the train,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-z-ryans/the-burning-glow-of-fire-basked-him-in-a-warm-light-i-feared-to-look/) [Rae Z. Ryans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-z-ryans/) > [Whether it is photography, assemblage art or filmmaking, my work is to see beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christophe-agou/whether-it-is-photography-assemblage-art-or-filmmaking-my-work-is-to/) [Christophe Agou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christophe-agou/) > [I'm of that generation of Jews still deeply influenced by the Holocaust. Certainly the notion that the state power to kill can be subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/i-m-of-that-generation-of-jews-still-deeply-influenced-by-the/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-prefer-neurotic-people-i-like-to-hear-rumblings-beneath-the-surface/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [“Yes, the hermitage is underground--miles beneath the surface of Antarctica. And yes, Ike refers to it as unten--literally 'under' or 'below.' But, hello, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leyner/yes-the-hermitage-is-underground-miles-beneath-the-surface-of/) [Mark Leyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leyner/) > [All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol-those-who-go-beneath-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Her father...was all front to back in his transparency: what you saw was what there was, there was nothing clandestine in his character, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-wiggins/her-father-was-all-front-to-back-in-his-transparency-what-you-saw-was/) [Marianne Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-wiggins/) > [The past lies beneath the surface, intransigent truth. Remembered or not, what we say and do remains, always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-hall/the-past-lies-beneath-the-surface-intransigent-truth-remembered-or/) [Meredith Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-hall/) > [“From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to the Earth. But man has only to sink beneath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaques-barzun-cousteau/from-birth-man-carries-the-weight-of-gravity-on-his-shoulders-he-is/) [Jaques Barzun Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaques-barzun-cousteau/) > [Be willing to face life squarely and get down beneath the surface of life where the verities and realities are to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/be-willing-to-face-life-squarely-and-get-down-beneath-the-surface-of/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [It's like, imagine the ripples on top of an ocean. And I'm in a rowboat, reactively dealing with the waves and water coming into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-oz/it-s-like-imagine-the-ripples-on-top-of-an-ocean-and-i-m-in-a-rowboat/) [Mehmet Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-oz/) > [“But not all its avenues were paved with marble nor all its denizens dwellers in palaces. Men and women of a dozen races huddled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-duncan/but-not-all-its-avenues-were-paved-with-marble-nor-all-its-denizens/) [Dave Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-duncan/) [Browse all 295 Beneath the surface quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beneath-the-surface/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But there was a fire waiting. And there was a little meal laid out on a blanket. And there was a whole world beyond that shoreline, beyond the forest, beyond the knuckle mountains, beyond, beyond, beyond, not beneath the surface at all, but beyond and waiting.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily M. 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