--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He was almost there, ready to hang up his…" description: "\"“He was almost there, ready to hang up his wings, to leave behind everyone who mattered to him. To descend into a pit of wallowing despair, somewhere n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/jay-allan-33274_despair_he-was-almost-there-ready-to-hang-up-his_3177122.jpg" --- # He was almost there, ready to hang up his wings, to leave… ![“He was almost there, ready to hang up his wings, to leave behind everyone who mattered to him. To descend into a pit of wallowing despair, somewhere no one could watch his self-destructive decline. Almost. But there was something there, the smallest remnant of what he once had been, screaming at…” quote by Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/jay-allan-33274_despair_he-was-almost-there-ready-to-hang-up-his_3177122.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/jay-allan-33274_despair_he-was-almost-there-ready-to-hang-up-his_3177122.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f78/jay-allan-33274_despair_he-was-almost-there-ready-to-hang-up-his_3177122.jpg) > ““He was almost there, ready to hang up his wings, to leave behind everyone who mattered to him. To descend into a pit of wallowing despair, somewhere no one could watch his self-destructive decline. Almost. But there was something there, the smallest remnant of what he once had been, screaming at him from the deepest recesses of his mind. Pushing him, standing up to the fear, to the memories of what he’d been through. It was distant, buried under the confusion and aimlessness that had dominated him. But it was just strong enough to stop him from quitting. He had lost what he was, what he had been. He didn’t know if he could ever get it back, but that fading light still flickered, and he realized it would deny him an easy exit. It would drive him forward…though whether to redemption or death he didn’t know.”” [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person on the brink of surrender discovers a faint inner drive that prevents self-destruction, prompting a struggle between redemption and demise. **In simple terms:** A small inner spark stops a person from quitting. Key Takeaway Listen to that inner voice and keep moving forward. Themes despair hope inner conflict Mood hopeful determined Type inspirational psychological When to use this quote - mental health crises - addiction recovery - personal turning points - creative writing Key Concepts psychology redemption survival instinct Questions to Reflect On - What inner strength can you summon in dark times? - How do you differentiate hope from denial? A Different Perspective The narrative is vague; may not apply universally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Fading light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fading-light/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption/) [Strong enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-enough/) ## Related quotes > [“The memories are so close I feel your presence everywhere. And I see forward so clearly and sadly to a time when the memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brashares/the-memories-are-so-close-i-feel-your-presence-everywhere-and-i-see/) Brashares > [“Time made apologies and absolution unnecessary. Time didn't really heal, it just made bad memories distant so that the brain couldn't recapture the lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amulya-malladi/time-made-apologies-and-absolution-unnecessary-time-didn-t-really/) [Amulya Malladi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amulya-malladi/) > [Some memories remain close; you can shut your eyes and find yourself back in them. But there are second-person memories, too, distant you memories,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/some-memories-remain-close-you-can-shut-your-eyes-and-find-yourself-2/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“Some memories remain close; you can shut your eyes and find yourself back in them. These are first-person memories—I memories. But there are second-person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/some-memories-remain-close-you-can-shut-your-eyes-and-find-yourself/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [I think for much of the middle classes, nothing could be more fantastic than to have a contact with fame. But once you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-douglas/i-think-for-much-of-the-middle-classes-nothing-could-be-more/) [Lawrence Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-douglas/) > [“This day is getting older. In fading light, it's beautiful. This wind is blowing colder, and too soon I'll feel its pull. So sturdy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-beautiful-girls/this-day-is-getting-older-in-fading-light-it-s-beautiful-this-wind-is/) The Beautiful Girls > [“But gifts can be victories, can’t they. It’s what you said. The garden could have been your gift, a dowry of talent, skill, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/but-gifts-can-be-victories-can-t-they-it-s-what-you-said-the-garden/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Fading light buttered the ridges until shadows licked them clean and they were lost to nightfall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/fading-light-buttered-the-ridges-until-shadows-licked-them-clean-and/) [Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/) > [“There he is, in the fading light, certain of what he wants, certain of her. If Gillian were speaking to her sister, or more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/there-he-is-in-the-fading-light-certain-of-what-he-wants-certain-of/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Nonetheless, after we've dropped off the birds and volunteered to go back to the woods to gather kindling for the evening fire, I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/nonetheless-after-we-ve-dropped-off-the-birds-and-volunteered-to-go/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“God has made me so that when once I love I love for ever, and so I continue to pray for this girl and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-beevers/god-has-made-me-so-that-when-once-i-love-i-love-for-ever-and-so-i/) [John Beevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-beevers/) > [Fading light means more than just the end of another day. Night is when terrible things emerge from their sleep and seek soft flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/fading-light-means-more-than-just-the-end-of-another-day-night-is/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Yes, God loves you this very day and always. He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/yes-god-loves-you-this-very-day-and-always-he-is-not-waiting-to-love/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [With a secret smile, not unlike that of a healthy child,he walked along, peacefully, quietly. He wore his gown and walked along exactly like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/with-a-secret-smile-not-unlike-that-of-a-healthy-child-he-walked/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“I gazed at his face in the rapidly fading light of day, admiring his five o-clock stubble and ruggedly handsome features. If you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-deplume/i-gazed-at-his-face-in-the-rapidly-fading-light-of-day-admiring-his/) Jules Deplume ## More by Jay Allan > [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“The truth is, they don’t want us back on Earth.  Trained killers who’ve lived for years outside the normal Earth routine of constant surveillance. …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-truth-is-they-don-t-want-us-back-on-earth-trained-killers-who-ve/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“how easily people can zealously pursue and defend a point of view, often ignoring inconvenient facts that interfere with their desired belief structure. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/how-easily-people-can-zealously-pursue-and-defend-a-point-of-view/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“And Barron suspected his adversary had indeed been a complex and intriguing woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/and-barron-suspected-his-adversary-had-indeed-been-a-complex-and/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“If mankind could possess only one, what is more valuable, an inexhaustible energy source or a drug that cures all disease?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/if-mankind-could-possess-only-one-what-is-more-valuable-an/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless. – Chester Nimitz”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/god-grant-me-the-courage-not-to-give-up-what-i-think-is-right-even/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“Patch me through to Commander Travis, Captain. You can be our relay.” “Yes, sir.” A few seconds later: “Captain…are you reading me?” “Yes, Atara.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/patch-me-through-to-commander-travis-captain-you-can-be-our-relay-yes/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/it-is-only-those-who-have-neither-fired-a-shot-nor-heard-the-shrieks-2/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“And now to all those who fought and will fight again. Those who struggled and bled and battled with all their strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/and-now-to-all-those-who-fought-and-will-fight-again-those-who/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“The cost of being a source of strength for everyone else was to have no support for yourself, no one to look to, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-cost-of-being-a-source-of-strength-for-everyone-else-was-to-have/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“He wondered what Leonidas thought that last morning at Thermopylae,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/he-wondered-what-leonidas-thought-that-last-morning-at-thermopylae/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“Glory is a veneer that reflects the light only from a distance.  Up close you can see through it, to bitter price paid in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/glory-is-a-veneer-that-reflects-the-light-only-from-a-distance-up/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“They would fight to the last if he asked them to, and they knew if it came to that, Erik Cain would be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/they-would-fight-to-the-last-if-he-asked-them-to-and-they-knew-if-it/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [“The heroes weren’t born that way, they didn’t have anything inside them he didn’t…they just resolved to do what had to be done, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-heroes-weren-t-born-that-way-they-didn-t-have-anything-inside/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) [Explore all 15 Jay Allan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. It's the part drawn to hope, that will not give in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/your-spirit-is-the-part-of-you-that-seeks-meaning-and-purpose-it-s/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The modernist writers found despair inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-modernist-writers-found-despair-inspirational/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/the-skin-and-shell-of-things-though-fair-are-not-thy-wish-nor-prayer/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) Louaiq8 > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/despair-is-the-price-one-pays-for-setting-oneself-an-impossible-aim/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He was almost there, ready to hang up his wings, to leave behind everyone who mattered to him. To descend into a pit of wallowing despair, somewhere no one could watch his self-destructive decline. Almost. But there was something there, the smallest remnant of what he once had been, screaming at him from the deepest recesses of his mind. Pushing him, standing up to the fear, to the memories of what he’d been through. It was distant, buried under the confusion and aimlessness that had dominated him. But it was just strong enough to stop him from quitting. 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