--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your…" description: "\"Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your ankle is your most vulnerable part-once in bed, you're safe; he may lie around under the bed all night, but yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_all-night_never-walk-near-the-bed-to-a-ghost-your_38732.jpg" --- # Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your ankle is your… ![“Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your ankle is your most vulnerable part-once in bed, you're safe; he may lie around under the bed all night, but you're safe as daylight. If you still have doubts pull the blanket over your head.” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_all-night_never-walk-near-the-bed-to-a-ghost-your_38732.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_all-night_never-walk-near-the-bed-to-a-ghost-your_38732.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_all-night_never-walk-near-the-bed-to-a-ghost-your_38732.jpg) > “Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your ankle is your most vulnerable part-once in bed, you're safe; he may lie around under the bed all night, but you're safe as daylight. If you still have doubts pull the blanket over your head.” [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A cautionary metaphor about confronting hidden fears versus staying in a perceived safe zone, suggesting that the unknown can be less threatening when faced directly. **In simple terms:** Confront hidden fears, not just stay safe. Key Takeaway Facing the unknown can be safer than avoiding it. Themes fear safety perception courage psychology Mood uneasy reflective cautious Type advice metaphor cautionary When to use this quote - nighttime anxieties - sleep disturbances - overcoming phobias - dealing with uncertainty Key Concepts metaphor anxiety risk assessment Practical Applications - psychotherapy techniques - self-help strategies Questions to Reflect On - What does 'the bed' symbolize in your life? - How might confronting a fear change its power over you? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-night/) [Ankles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ankles/) [Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed/) [Bed Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed-ghost-449317/) [Bed Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed-safe-449316/) [Blanket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blanket/) [Daylight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daylight/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Ghost Ankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost-ankle-449315/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Near Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/near-bed-449318/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Over you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over-you/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Vulnerable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerable/) [Vulnerable Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerable-bed-449319/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) ## Related quotes > [Please sit down a candle lit a shadow on a wall near the bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/please-sit-down-a-candle-lit-a-shadow-on-a-wall-near-the-bed/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [“He would be admitting to himself that life has suddenly become very short, very precious, that soon he'll no longer exist, that it'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/he-would-be-admitting-to-himself-that-life-has-suddenly-become-very/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [I have a Bible near my bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-a-bible-near-my-bed/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [No one is depressed when they're asleep, which is why being in bed is such a safe place if you're really down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-redhill/no-one-is-depressed-when-they-re-asleep-which-is-why-being-in-bed-is/) [Michael Redhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-redhill/) > [Exploration was for those with a measure of peasant blood, those with big thighs and thick ankles who could take punishment as they took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/exploration-was-for-those-with-a-measure-of-peasant-blood-those-with/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [It isn't a coincidence that governments everywhere want to educate children. Government education, in turn, is supposed to be evidence of the state's goodness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/it-isn-t-a-coincidence-that-governments-everywhere-want-to-educate/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [In the past five weeks I've trained hard, trying to get my ankle back to where I want it to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/in-the-past-five-weeks-i-ve-trained-hard-trying-to-get-my-ankle-back/) [Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/) > [We're told cars cause pollution. A hundred years ago city streets were ankle deep in horse excrement. What kind of pollution do you want?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/we-re-told-cars-cause-pollution-a-hundred-years-ago-city-streets-were/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [A tall blonde entered the room, wearing a yellow sash that marked her as advocate. Two men followed her, carrying papers. She was lean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/a-tall-blonde-entered-the-room-wearing-a-yellow-sash-that-marked-her/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Rock stars are like sports stars: If you snap your ankle, you're done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/rock-stars-are-like-sports-stars-if-you-snap-your-ankle-you-re-done/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [You may feel a tugging sensation near your ankles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/you-may-feel-a-tugging-sensation-near-your-ankles/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [I've broken all my fingers, I've broken my hand, ribs, ankles... everything, I've broken everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sky-blu/i-ve-broken-all-my-fingers-i-ve-broken-my-hand-ribs-ankles-everything/) [Sky Blu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sky-blu/) > [I'm pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I've only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. I did have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-m-pretty-cautious-and-not-very-athletic-so-i-ve-only-had-really/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [The sugar maple is remarkable for its clean ankle. The groves of these trees looked like vast forest sheds, their branches stoppingshort at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sugar-maple-is-remarkable-for-its-clean-ankle-the-groves-of-these/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) ## More by F. Scott Fitzgerald > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“There was a ripe mystery about it, a hint of bedrooms upstairs more beautiful and cool than other bedrooms, of gay and radiant activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/there-was-a-ripe-mystery-about-it-a-hint-of-bedrooms-upstairs-more/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. You can read in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-take-a-red-hot-bath-as-hot-as-you-can-bear-it-and-just/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I found something! Courage--just that; courage as a rule of life and something to cling to always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-found-something-courage-just-that-courage-as-a-rule-of-life-and/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Life is a series of successful gestures...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-series-of-successful-gestures/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-montana-sunset-lay-between-the-mountains-like-a-giant-bruise-from/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“He was good looking, "sort of distinguished when he wants to be", had a line, and was properly inconstant. In fact, he summed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-was-good-looking-sort-of-distinguished-when-he-wants-to-be-had-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [What are you going to do? "Can't say - run for president, write -" "Greenwich Village?" "Good heavens, no - I said write -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-are-you-going-to-do-can-t-say-run-for-president-write-greenwich/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The latter was considered a good fellow and a fine leader, until a year later, when he disappeared with a mess fund of eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-latter-was-considered-a-good-fellow-and-a-fine-leader-until-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-eluded-us-then-but-that-s-no-matter-tomorrow-we-will-run-faster/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Explore all 1,568 F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## More All night quotes > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I'm neurotic in the sense that I can have a crowd of 300 people cheering you, applauding you, standing O, but one guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-neurotic-in-the-sense-that-i-can-have-a-crowd-of-300-people/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [ Senator \[Tom\] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wanting-to-kill-obamacare-he/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Teenagers complain there's nothing to do, then stay out all night doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-phillips/teenagers-complain-there-s-nothing-to-do-then-stay-out-all-night/) [Bob Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-phillips/) > [Few, if any, creatures are equally active all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/few-if-any-creatures-are-equally-active-all-night/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Everyone has seen people dancing all night. But take a man and make him dance for a quarter of an hour without music and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-de-saxe/everyone-has-seen-people-dancing-all-night-but-take-a-man-and-make/) [Maurice de Saxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-de-saxe/) > [I think I fully commit myself to any role to the extent to which I can. In other words there's some roles that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-think-i-fully-commit-myself-to-any-role-to-the-extent-to-which-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I memorize my lines and I show up. I think it's just instinctual, and sometimes it's wrong and the director says, "No, do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/i-memorize-my-lines-and-i-show-up-i-think-it-s-just-instinctual-and/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [I feel like a midget with muddy feet had been walking over my tongue all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/i-feel-like-a-midget-with-muddy-feet-had-been-walking-over-my-tongue/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [If I walk into a place, a party, say, and there's a bookshelf, I immediately gravitate toward it. Unless there's a bar. But even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-evison/if-i-walk-into-a-place-a-party-say-and-there-s-a-bookshelf-i/) [Jonathan Evison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-evison/) > [When you're doing a play you get to go full speed ahead, all night, in front of an audience. It's a roller-coaster ride, responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick-thomas/when-you-re-doing-a-play-you-get-to-go-full-speed-ahead-all-night-in/) [Sean Patrick Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick-thomas/) > [I'm kinda tired. I was up all night trying to round off infinity. Then I got bored and went out and painted passing lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-m-kinda-tired-i-was-up-all-night-trying-to-round-off-infinity-then/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I've been thinking of a story from the Old Testament: Moses stood all day and all night with outstretched arms, praying to God for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/i-ve-been-thinking-of-a-story-from-the-old-testament-moses-stood-all/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [Basically Ken is a very gentle, home-loving person. I remember when one of his stick insects had a knee infection. He stayed up all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/basically-ken-is-a-very-gentle-home-loving-person-i-remember-when-one/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I told Terry I was leaving. She had been thinking about it all night and was resigned to it. Emotionlessly she kissed me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-told-terry-i-was-leaving-she-had-been-thinking-about-it-all-night/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) [Browse all 335 All night quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-night/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your ankle is your most vulnerable part-once in bed, you're safe; he may lie around under the bed all night, but you're safe as daylight. If you still have doubts pull the blanket over your head.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "F. 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