--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Memory is a barricade against forgetting…" description: "\"Memory is a barricade against forgetting; light is a bulwark against darkness; life is a flex against the stillness of the grave. Maybe that's what I'm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/helen-humphreys-17672_anxiety_memory-is-a-barricade-against-forgetting_2605168.jpg" --- # Memory is a barricade against forgetting; light is a… ![“Memory is a barricade against forgetting; light is a bulwark against darkness; life is a flex against the stillness of the grave. Maybe that's what I'm trying to do here, clear a space in all the debris, through all the anxieties and worries, where I can just exist, easily and simply, entire, for…” quote by Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/helen-humphreys-17672_anxiety_memory-is-a-barricade-against-forgetting_2605168.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/helen-humphreys-17672_anxiety_memory-is-a-barricade-against-forgetting_2605168.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/helen-humphreys-17672_anxiety_memory-is-a-barricade-against-forgetting_2605168.jpg) > “Memory is a barricade against forgetting; light is a bulwark against darkness; life is a flex against the stillness of the grave. Maybe that's what I'm trying to do here, clear a space in all the debris, through all the anxieties and worries, where I can just exist, easily and simply, entire, for as long as I have left.” [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating mental space by clearing anxieties allows simple, authentic existence. **In simple terms:** Clear mind, live simply. Key Takeaway Cultivate mental clarity. Themes mindfulness mental health simplicity Mood calm introspective Type motivational poetic When to use this quote - daily stress - overwhelm - creative block Key Concepts psychological resilience inner peace creative space Questions to Reflect On - How do you clear mental clutter? - What simple practices bring you peace? A Different Perspective Neglecting mental space leads to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxiety and worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety-and-worry/) [Barricades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barricades/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Debris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debris/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting/) [Forgetting Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting-light-1978635/) [Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graves/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Memory Barricade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-barricade-1978636/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stillness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stillness/) [Stillness Grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stillness-grave-1978637/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/unease-anxiety-tension-stress-worry/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [A time of crisis is not just a time of anxiety and worry. It gives a chance, an opportunity, to choose well or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/a-time-of-crisis-is-not-just-a-time-of-anxiety-and-worry-it-gives-a/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [“In recovery, we try to take the opposite of our character defects/shortcomings and turn them into principles. For example, we work to change fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-recovery-we-try-to-take-the-opposite-of-our-character-defects/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Rule number one is, don't sweat the small stuff. Rule number two is, it's all small stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-davies/rule-number-one-is-don-t-sweat-the-small-stuff-rule-number-two-is-it/) [Mike Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-davies/) > [I remember feeling a huge amount of anxiety and worry and pressure. At that point I was headed into acting school. That was 100…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-remember-feeling-a-huge-amount-of-anxiety-and-worry-and-pressure-at/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [I think one thing that does cause unhappiness is protracted anxiety and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/i-think-one-thing-that-does-cause-unhappiness-is-protracted-anxiety/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [Anxiety is essential to the human condition. The confrontation with anxiety can relieve us from boredom, sharpen the sensitivity and assure the presence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/anxiety-is-essential-to-the-human-condition-the-confrontation-with/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Worry... is rust upon the blade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hughes/worry-is-rust-upon-the-blade/) [Simon Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hughes/) > [Writers, at least writers of fiction, are always full of anxiety and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/writers-at-least-writers-of-fiction-are-always-full-of-anxiety-and/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [“Love starts with loving and accepting yourself as you are. Loving yourself and selfishness are two different things. To love and accept yourself does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-dhyan-giten/love-starts-with-loving-and-accepting-yourself-as-you-are-loving/) [Swami Dhyan Giten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-dhyan-giten/) > [I see that I am inwardly fashioned for faith and not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/i-see-that-i-am-inwardly-fashioned-for-faith-and-not-for-fear-fear-is/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [By the anxieties and worries of this life Satan tries to dull man's heart and make a dwelling for himself there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/by-the-anxieties-and-worries-of-this-life-satan-tries-to-dull-man-s/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Nothing comes so naturally to a human being as anxiety and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-richardson/nothing-comes-so-naturally-to-a-human-being-as-anxiety-and-worry/) [Brian Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-richardson/) > [It is not work that kills men, it is worry. Work is healthy; you can hardly put more upon a man that he can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hughes/it-is-not-work-that-kills-men-it-is-worry-work-is-healthy-you-can/) [Simon Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hughes/) > [Fear ringed by doubt is my eternal moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/fear-ringed-by-doubt-is-my-eternal-moon/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) ## More by Helen Humphreys > [“I'm beginning to feel as though everything has happened before, that our story has already been told. Just as we were powerless to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/i-m-beginning-to-feel-as-though-everything-has-happened-before-that/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“It's funny to think that Anson and I were here, in this same place, together all that time ago, and now here we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/it-s-funny-to-think-that-anson-and-i-were-here-in-this-same-place/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [This is what I know about love, That it is tested every day, and what is not renewed is lost. One chooses either to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/this-is-what-i-know-about-love-that-it-is-tested-every-day-and-what/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [I like being mistaken for someone useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/i-like-being-mistaken-for-someone-useful/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“I'm not afraid to die. I just don't want to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/i-m-not-afraid-to-die-i-just-don-t-want-to/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [Love is not a good thing, I've decided. It just makes you afraid you'll lose what you love, and then, because your fear makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/love-is-not-a-good-thing-i-ve-decided-it-just-makes-you-afraid-you-ll/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“She believes in the words of her fortune teller, but really, anyone could have told her that if you have to stop doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/she-believes-in-the-words-of-her-fortune-teller-but-really-anyone/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“There are words in my life that I wish I'd never said. I wish I'd never told my wife that I loved her, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/there-are-words-in-my-life-that-i-wish-i-d-never-said-i-wish-i-d/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [The novels are always morphing into something else now, some kind of hybrid, more of a ground that isn't so easily specified. I suppose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/the-novels-are-always-morphing-into-something-else-now-some-kind-of/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“I am a writer. The proof of how I am feeling is always in my pen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/i-am-a-writer-the-proof-of-how-i-am-feeling-is-always-in-my-pen/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“I don't think anymore that my life is about what has happened to me. It's about what I choose to believe. It's not what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/i-don-t-think-anymore-that-my-life-is-about-what-has-happened-to-me/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [It's easy to feel equal to wanting. It's rare to feel equal to having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/it-s-easy-to-feel-equal-to-wanting-it-s-rare-to-feel-equal-to-having/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“I suppose,” says Jeremy, “what I don’t like is that the moment you fix something, it starts to break down again, that an engine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/i-suppose-says-jeremy-what-i-don-t-like-is-that-the-moment-you-fix/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“Your leaving will not be solved by your coming back. But one does not preclude the other. And maybe that is always what there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/your-leaving-will-not-be-solved-by-your-coming-back-but-one-does-not/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [“She doesn’t want to think of that woman, not now. She’s just one more person who hasn’t kept her promise; just one more person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/she-doesn-t-want-to-think-of-that-woman-not-now-she-s-just-one-more/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) [Explore all 36 Helen Humphreys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Memory is a barricade against forgetting; light is a bulwark against darkness; life is a flex against the stillness of the grave. 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