--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had the feeling that if it were…" description: "\"“I had the feeling that if it were perfectly quiet, if I could hear nothing, I would never wake up. Something in the world had to pull me back, for eve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/james-dickey-11461_every-night_i-had-the-feeling-that-if-it-were-perfec_2255360.jpg" --- # I had the feeling that if it were perfectly quiet, if I… ![“I had the feeling that if it were perfectly quiet, if I could hear nothing, I would never wake up. Something in the world had to pull me back, for every night I went down deep, and if I had any sensation during sleep, it was of going deeper and deeper, trying to reach a point, a line or border.” quote by James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/james-dickey-11461_every-night_i-had-the-feeling-that-if-it-were-perfec_2255360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/james-dickey-11461_every-night_i-had-the-feeling-that-if-it-were-perfec_2255360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/james-dickey-11461_every-night_i-had-the-feeling-that-if-it-were-perfec_2255360.jpg) > ““I had the feeling that if it were perfectly quiet, if I could hear nothing, I would never wake up. Something in the world had to pull me back, for every night I went down deep, and if I had any sensation during sleep, it was of going deeper and deeper, trying to reach a point, a line or border.”” [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When silence overwhelms, the mind seeks a boundary to prevent endless descent into unconsciousness. **In simple terms:** Silence can feel dangerous; we need a mental anchor. Key Takeaway Find a grounding focus when thoughts become overwhelming. Themes silence mindfulness psychology boundary sleep Mood calm introspective anxious Type psychological poetic When to use this quote - nighttime anxiety - creative block - meditation practice - stress management Key Concepts consciousness psychological safety meditation Questions to Reflect On - What anchors you when thoughts spiral? - How do you balance silence and mental activity? A Different Perspective Not all silence is harmful; sometimes stillness is restorative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deep Sensation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-sensation-5167315/) [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Quiet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet/) [Quiet Hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-hear-740646/) [Sensation Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensation-sleep-5167316/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) ## Related quotes > [“It’s quiet now. So quiet that you can almost hear other people’s dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/it-s-quiet-now-so-quiet-that-you-can-almost-hear-other-people-s-dreams/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“...my thoughts reach out like prayers to you - and if you are quiet, you can hear...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/my-thoughts-reach-out-like-prayers-to-you-and-if-you-are-quiet-you/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [What's wrong with people?" she says, almost too quiet for me to hear. 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He answered, 'Art is a lie which makes us see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/i-once-had-the-nerve-to-ask-picasso-the-question-what-is-art-he/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [The true feeling of sex is that of a deep intimacy, but above all of a deep complicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/the-true-feeling-of-sex-is-that-of-a-deep-intimacy-but-above-all-of-a/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [“If I were going to tell one of my sons how to possess the world, I would simply bring him into my house, show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/if-i-were-going-to-tell-one-of-my-sons-how-to-possess-the-world-i/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [What a view, i said again. The river was blank and mindless with beauty. 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Look at the list of our great artists, you see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/we-ve-always-had-a-tradition-in-america-of-hounding-our-artists-to/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [A poet trains himself to stand out in a storm and be struck by lightning. 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(Averill often told herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/her-silent-singing-wrapped-around-the-story-she-was-telling-herself/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“I have heard several people justify working long hours and getting home from work late it night by saying things like, “I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/i-have-heard-several-people-justify-working-long-hours-and-getting/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [Every night I go to sleep smiling, even when I have a bad day. I'm just thankful that God allowed me to live it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-night-i-go-to-sleep-smiling-even-when-i-have-a-bad-day-i-m-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm going to lay it out straight for you here, Carson. 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