--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We ate it like it was medicine. Like it…" description: "\"“We ate it like it was medicine. Like it was magic candy that could somehow restore us to a normal life again. We ate ourselves numb and got in our bag..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/emmy-laybourne-25827_candy_we-ate-it-like-it-was-medicine-like-it-w_2261667.jpg" --- # We ate it like it was medicine. Like it was magic candy… ![“We ate it like it was medicine. Like it was magic candy that could somehow restore us to a normal life again. We ate ourselves numb and got in our bags and went to sleep. There was a lot of crying from the little kids and occasionally one of us would yell, "Shut up!" That's how we got by, that…” quote by Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/emmy-laybourne-25827_candy_we-ate-it-like-it-was-medicine-like-it-w_2261667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/emmy-laybourne-25827_candy_we-ate-it-like-it-was-medicine-like-it-w_2261667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/emmy-laybourne-25827_candy_we-ate-it-like-it-was-medicine-like-it-w_2261667.jpg) > ““We ate it like it was medicine. Like it was magic candy that could somehow restore us to a normal life again. We ate ourselves numb and got in our bags and went to sleep. There was a lot of crying from the little kids and occasionally one of us would yell, "Shut up!" That's how we got by, that first night.”” [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In crisis, they used food as a coping ritual, numbing pain and creating routine, though tears and anger persisted. **In simple terms:** Coping with trauma through ritual and shared moments. Key Takeaway Find small rituals to endure hardship. Themes trauma ritual comfort community Mood somber resilient Type reflective survival When to use this quote - disaster relief - family crisis - mental health coping - post‑trauma recovery Key Concepts psychology survival shared experience Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance ritual comfort with processing grief? - What rituals help you feel safe? A Different Perspective Rituals may mask deeper issues needing attention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ate Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ate-like-317489/) [Ate Numb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ate-numb-5206415/) [Candy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Ate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-ate-5206416/) [Magic Candy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-candy-5206414/) [Normal life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal-life/) ## Related quotes > [“She ate like a polite wolf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kostova/she-ate-like-a-polite-wolf/) [Elizabeth Kostova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kostova/) > [“Whenever I drink too much, I get this craving for bread.” He watched me with amusement as I mashed two slices together and ate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-pohler/whenever-i-drink-too-much-i-get-this-craving-for-bread-he-watched-me/) [Eva Pohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-pohler/) > [“For a while, we just ate like that, a sick old man, a healthy, younger man, both absorbing the quiet of the room. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/for-a-while-we-just-ate-like-that-a-sick-old-man-a-healthy-younger/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“She cut a small piece of the gravalax and put it on a piece of black bread, daintily spooned a bit of dill sauce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/she-cut-a-small-piece-of-the-gravalax-and-put-it-on-a-piece-of-black/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I ate them like salad, books were my sandwich for lunch, my tiffin and dinner and midnight munch. I tore out the pages, ate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-ate-them-like-salad-books-were-my-sandwich-for-lunch-my-tiffin-and/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When I was a kid, I hated everything. I was really skinny, and I'd have a milkshake with an egg in it. Growing up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/when-i-was-a-kid-i-hated-everything-i-was-really-skinny-and-i-d-have/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [Back in the '60s, there was a car sticker that read, 'Forget Oxfam, Feed Twiggy,' but I ate like a horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/back-in-the-60s-there-was-a-car-sticker-that-read-forget-oxfam-feed/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [“We worked like dogs, we ate like hogs, and we slept like logs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-w-sprouse/we-worked-like-dogs-we-ate-like-hogs-and-we-slept-like-logs/) [Terry W. Sprouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-w-sprouse/) > [I pretty much ate everything that I like and I've always wanted to eat and I just didn't hold myself back and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-park/i-pretty-much-ate-everything-that-i-like-and-i-ve-always-wanted-to/) [Randall Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-park/) > [I ate like a horse when I was younger, and not very sensibly, though no one ever believes that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-ate-like-a-horse-when-i-was-younger-and-not-very-sensibly-though-no/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [I worked like a horse and I ate like a hog and I slept like a dead man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-worked-like-a-horse-and-i-ate-like-a-hog-and-i-slept-like-a-dead-man/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [EPMD in effect, I'm clockin' mad green Like Kermit the Frog, sloppy like Boss Hog, Girl was runnin' wild...ate her like a corn dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pmd/epmd-in-effect-i-m-clockin-mad-green-like-kermit-the-frog-sloppy-like/) [PMD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pmd/) > [Sometimes you have a fight with your wife, I have a fight with your friend, is normal life. And sometimes you have a fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabricio-werdum/sometimes-you-have-a-fight-with-your-wife-i-have-a-fight-with-your/) [Fabricio Werdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabricio-werdum/) > [I have a tremendous amount of respect for military families. To have to worry about your loved ones and still try and live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-have-a-tremendous-amount-of-respect-for-military-families-to-have/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More by Emmy Laybourne > [“My mom believed that you make your own luck. Over the stove she had hung these old, maroon painted letters that spell out, “MANIFEST.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/my-mom-believed-that-you-make-your-own-luck-over-the-stove-she-had/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“And then I saw Niko. He had sunk down to his knees and had his face in his hands. I went over to him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/and-then-i-saw-niko-he-had-sunk-down-to-his-knees-and-had-his-face-in/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“There I saw Chloe, freshly bathed, wrapped in a towel, eating fun-size butterfingers one after another like a chain smoker and watching me like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/there-i-saw-chloe-freshly-bathed-wrapped-in-a-towel-eating-fun-size/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“Your mother hollers that you're going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don't stop and hug her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/your-mother-hollers-that-you-re-going-to-miss-the-bus-she-can-see-it/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“We were a good team. I was glad we had decided to work on being friends. She was holding up her end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/we-were-a-good-team-i-was-glad-we-had-decided-to-work-on-being/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“The cries of the other kids got louder: “The bus is on fire!” “It’s going to explode!” and “We’re going to die!” And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/the-cries-of-the-other-kids-got-louder-the-bus-is-on-fire-it-s-going/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“Sometimes, when you'd least expect it, the grief would chop your legs out from under you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/sometimes-when-you-d-least-expect-it-the-grief-would-chop-your-legs/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“All right," Jake said, clapping his hands. "Which one of you little punks is gonna teach me how to play Chutes and Ladders?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/all-right-jake-said-clapping-his-hands-which-one-of-you-little-punks/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“I guess I could go and get a bunch of knives from the Kitchen aisles and throw them at the intruders. So lame. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/i-guess-i-could-go-and-get-a-bunch-of-knives-from-the-kitchen-aisles/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“I started to sing. Yes, sing. "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy. Yankee Doodle Do or die." I let go of Henry and Caroline and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/i-started-to-sing-yes-sing-i-m-a-yankee-doodle-dandy-yankee-doodle-do/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“I like a kid who holds nothing back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/i-like-a-kid-who-holds-nothing-back/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“Night came and fell hard. Not like God drawing a blanket over our land But like someone snuffing a candle. Sudden and total. Out—just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/night-came-and-fell-hard-not-like-god-drawing-a-blanket-over-our-land/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“Never lough out somebody's failure, cause tomorrow should be you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/never-lough-out-somebody-s-failure-cause-tomorrow-should-be-you/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“Now, anyway, we knew who was which blood type. In addition to the beating he'd received from Chloe, Max was also starting to blister…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/now-anyway-we-knew-who-was-which-blood-type-in-addition-to-the/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [“He swaggered over to Jake himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/he-swaggered-over-to-jake-himself/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) [Explore all 21 Emmy Laybourne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) ## More Candy quotes > [“Most girls get flowers or candy. I get a declaration of martial law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-shearin/most-girls-get-flowers-or-candy-i-get-a-declaration-of-martial-law/) [Lisa Shearin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-shearin/) > [I like Valentine's Day. 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Once you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/the-truth-is-one-of-the-best-things-about-being-15-years-old-is-that/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [“Goddamn sneaking candy thief found my cache" Peabody pursed her lips "You had candy in the file cabilnet." she angled her head "Under M?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jd-robb/goddamn-sneaking-candy-thief-found-my-cache-peabody-pursed-her-lips/) [JD Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jd-robb/) > [I remember candy rationing until I was, like, 7.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-curry/i-remember-candy-rationing-until-i-was-like-7/) [Tim Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-curry/) > [Dont expect someone to stay sweet forever because even the sweetest candy has an expiration date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-expect-someone-to-stay-sweet-forever-because-even-the-sweetest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Of all the jaw-droppingly beautiful women who've become genuine movie stars, none has had a longer film career (62 years), has been filmed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/of-all-the-jaw-droppingly-beautiful-women-who-ve-become-genuine-movie/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [“I haven’t had cotton candy in forever,” he said. “I’d forgotten how…sugary it is.” “It’s pure sugar.” “I wonder who invented it.” “I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/i-haven-t-had-cotton-candy-in-forever-he-said-i-d-forgotten-how/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) > [Happy Sweetest Day! 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