--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Indeed, she often wondered if she were…" description: "\"Indeed, she often wondered if she were dead, or dying from the inside out, and that was the root of her calm, the reason she could surrender her charac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/gregory-maguire-547_calm_indeed-she-often-wondered-if-she-were-de_1151820.png" --- # Indeed, she often wondered if she were dead, or dying from… ![“Indeed, she often wondered if she were dead, or dying from the inside out, and that was the root of her calm, the reason she could surrender her character.” quote by Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/gregory-maguire-547_calm_indeed-she-often-wondered-if-she-were-de_1151820.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/gregory-maguire-547_calm_indeed-she-often-wondered-if-she-were-de_1151820.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/gregory-maguire-547_calm_indeed-she-often-wondered-if-she-were-de_1151820.png) > “Indeed, she often wondered if she were dead, or dying from the inside out, and that was the root of her calm, the reason she could surrender her character.” [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She contemplates death, feeling internal decay, which paradoxically grants her calm and the ability to let go of her persona. **In simple terms:** Thinking of death brings calm and surrender of self. Key Takeaway Embrace inner turmoil to find peace. Themes psychology existentialism calm Mood introspective somber Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - creative writing - mindfulness practice - self‑reflection Key Concepts nihilism self-transcendence Questions to Reflect On - How does confronting mortality affect identity? - Can calm arise without surrender? A Different Perspective It may romanticize despair as a path to peace. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Calm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calm/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Dying inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying-inside/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Resolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolve/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) ## Related quotes > [I am tasked with being that voice of calm and reason and disseminating the facts as we understand and know them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-faulkner/i-am-tasked-with-being-that-voice-of-calm-and-reason-and/) [Harris Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-faulkner/) > [“And that’s unevenly rendered to those who grew up thinking faith was a surrender of reason but not a reason to surrender.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/and-that-s-unevenly-rendered-to-those-who-grew-up-thinking-faith-was/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [“The truth can only be seen when you close your eyes to reason and surrender yourself to dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-breton/the-truth-can-only-be-seen-when-you-close-your-eyes-to-reason-and/) [André Breton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-breton/) > [“And this was perhaps the first time in my life that death occurred to me as a reality. I thought of the people before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/and-this-was-perhaps-the-first-time-in-my-life-that-death-occurred-to/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“I simply wondered about the dead because their days had ended and I did not know how I would get through mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/i-simply-wondered-about-the-dead-because-their-days-had-ended-and-i/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I thought of the people before me who had looked down at the river and gone to sleep beneath it. I wondered about them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-thought-of-the-people-before-me-who-had-looked-down-at-the-river/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel its okay for me to pretend that Im okay, but I know its killing me inside. Im pushing away all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-feel-its-okay-for-me-to-pretend-that-im-okay-but-i-know-its-killing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It will feel impossible; like you are dying inside this is your soul crying out for life. It may take everything you have; every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/it-will-feel-impossible-like-you-are-dying-inside-this-is-your-soul/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [What's the point of a promise, the world is full of lies, and money is never honest, true hearts fighting greed, green prevails the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-joseph/what-s-the-point-of-a-promise-the-world-is-full-of-lies-and-money-is/) [Cody Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-joseph/) > [What excuses do you make? Happiness is hard to find. I didn't catch a break. maybe I'm dying inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-excuses-do-you-make-happiness-is-hard-to-find-i-didn-t-catch-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The houses have been condemned on Memory Lane I’m tired of this struggle that leaves everything the same I’ve tried so hard to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-houses-have-been-condemned-on-memory-lane-i-m-tired-of-this/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I'm dying inside. How could you do this is to me? I trusted you.. but all you did was lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-dying-inside-how-could-you-do-this-is-to-me-i-trusted-you-but-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Oh, I’m not dying out here,” Amos said, and pointed toward the interior of the ship with his chin. “Worst-case scenario, I’m dying inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-i-m-not-dying-out-here-amos-said-and-pointed-toward-the-interior/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“The horrors grew. Inner horrors. On the surface it looked as though I was more or less keeping it together, but day by day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcoholics-anonymous/the-horrors-grew-inner-horrors-on-the-surface-it-looked-as-though-i/) [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcoholics-anonymous/) > [“Maybe I could use a little metal on the inside, I thought. If I'd kept my heart better armored, where would I be now?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/maybe-i-could-use-a-little-metal-on-the-inside-i-thought-if-i-d-kept/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) ## More by Gregory Maguire > [“By so giving up, of course, it renews itself- that is the secret”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/by-so-giving-up-of-course-it-renews-itself-that-is-the-secret/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“There are two kinds of anger: hot and cold. Boys and girls experience both, but as they grow up the anger separates according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/there-are-two-kinds-of-anger-hot-and-cold-boys-and-girls-experience/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“Very few things in the world are certain, but morning is one of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/very-few-things-in-the-world-are-certain-but-morning-is-one-of-them/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [No one survives in times of war unless they make war their home. 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She armed herself with two thorns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/old-flossie-settle-down-on-the-other-side-of-what-the-dickens-and/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [I shall pray for your soul,' promised Nessarose. I shall wait for your shoes,' Elphie answered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/i-shall-pray-for-your-soul-promised-nessarose-i-shall-wait-for-your/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [My first job was scooping ice cream at Friendly's in Albany, New York. I hated the work, most of my colleagues, and the uniform,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/my-first-job-was-scooping-ice-cream-at-friendly-s-in-albany-new-york/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“At its most elemental, a spell is no more than a recipe for change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/at-its-most-elemental-a-spell-is-no-more-than-a-recipe-for-change/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [I write because I admire the act of rationalization, of seeking clarity in one's understanding of the complexities of life, and I'm bad at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/i-write-because-i-admire-the-act-of-rationalization-of-seeking/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“Do good though, will you?" She blinked brightly at the green girl. "If not for your parents or your grandmother, then for me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/do-good-though-will-you-she-blinked-brightly-at-the-green-girl-if-not/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“You always had an eye for the fellow with a decent helping of sausage and hard-boiled eggs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/you-always-had-an-eye-for-the-fellow-with-a-decent-helping-of-sausage/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“You need my help? What for? Bread, cash, a fake identity to help you slip sideways through the cracks? Tell me what you need,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/you-need-my-help-what-for-bread-cash-a-fake-identity-to-help-you-slip/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) [Explore all 470 Gregory Maguire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) ## More Calm quotes > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“After the storm, reigns the calm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simdi-onuora/after-the-storm-reigns-the-calm/) Simdi Onuora > [So mightiest powers buy deepest calms are fed, And sleep, how oft, in things that gentlest be!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-procter/so-mightiest-powers-buy-deepest-calms-are-fed-and-sleep-how-oft-in/) [Bryan Procter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-procter/) > [KEEP CALM and HAVE A SUGAR CUBE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/keep-calm-and-have-a-sugar-cube/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [To practice Aikido fully you must calm the spirit and go back to the origin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/to-practice-aikido-fully-you-must-calm-the-spirit-and-go-back-to-the/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [The goal of the operation is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages, only then will Israel be calm for the next 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ben-ari/the-goal-of-the-operation-is-to-send-gaza-back-to-the-middle-ages/) Michael Ben-Ari > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [When I was a child I truly loved: Unthinking love as calm and deep As the North Sea. 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