---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I found you, I was just a shape…"
description: "\"“Before I found you, I was just a shape waiting in the shadows.”\" — Jay Kristoff"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/jay-kristoff-8078_shadows_before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-wa_846807.jpg"
---

#  Before I found you, I was just a shape waiting in the…

![“Before I found you, I was just a shape waiting in the shadows.” quote by Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/jay-kristoff-8078_shadows_before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-wa_846807.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/jay-kristoff-8078_shadows_before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-wa_846807.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/jay-kristoff-8078_shadows_before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-wa_846807.jpg)

> ““Before I found you, I was just a shape waiting in the shadows.””

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A longing for connection transforms emptiness into anticipation of love.

**In simple terms:** Loneliness becomes hope for love.

Key Takeaway

Seek meaningful relationships.

Themes

loneliness anticipation connection

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

literary romantic

When to use this quote

- dating
- personal growth
- mental health
- creative writing

Key Concepts

psychology human need

Questions to Reflect On

- What does the “shape” represent for you?
- How can you move from waiting to acting?

A Different Perspective

Love may not materialize as imagined.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Shadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadows/)

## Related quotes

> [I'd like to design clothes, even just for myself, because my shape doesn't always lend itself to the things I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-demetriou/i-d-like-to-design-clothes-even-just-for-myself-because-my-shape/)

[Jamie Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-demetriou/)

> [You know that you are. Don't burden yourself with names, just be. Any name or shape you give yourself obscures your real nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/you-know-that-you-are-don-t-burden-yourself-with-names-just-be-any/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [“It was a narrow world, a world that was standing still. But the narrower it became, and themore it betook of stillness, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/it-was-a-narrow-world-a-world-that-was-standing-still-but-the-2/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“Ghosts are waiting in the shadows of the room, patient dull shimmers. The others can see them, too, I know it. We’re all afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/ghosts-are-waiting-in-the-shadows-of-the-room-patient-dull-shimmers/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“Sometimes I wonder if my whole life will pass by this way: me waiting in the shadows, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ockler/sometimes-i-wonder-if-my-whole-life-will-pass-by-this-way-me-waiting/)

[Sarah Ockler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ockler/)

> [“Grief is such a strange thing. Sometimes it seems to be gone entirely, but then one smell or sound or memory and it's as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-whipple/grief-is-such-a-strange-thing-sometimes-it-seems-to-be-gone-entirely/)

[Natalie Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-whipple/)

> [“My dream is to create something so beautiful that it encourages people to present the best version of themselves to me everywhere I go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/my-dream-is-to-create-something-so-beautiful-that-it-encourages/)

[Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/)

> [As we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/as-we-wind-on-down-the-road-our-shadows-taller-than-our-souls/)

[Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/)

> [“Try to think of it as though we are rewriting history––the first time this experience occurred you and I never kissed in this Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/try-to-think-of-it-as-though-we-are-rewriting-history-the-first-time/)

[Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/)

> [Never Allow The Dark Shadows Of Your Past To Dim The Light You Were Destined To Shine...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prahmiss/never-allow-the-dark-shadows-of-your-past-to-dim-the-light-you-were/)

Prahmiss

> [The sun was trembling on the brink of the world, the shadows at their longest, and they still had several kilometers to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/the-sun-was-trembling-on-the-brink-of-the-world-the-shadows-at-their/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [“strike from the shadows, disapear into darkness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/strike-from-the-shadows-disapear-into-darkness/)

[derek landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [Even in the darkness, his smile threw shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/even-in-the-darkness-his-smile-threw-shadows/)

[Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/)

> [I watched the movie 'What We Do in the Shadows' in a packed theater when it first came out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/i-watched-the-movie-what-we-do-in-the-shadows-in-a-packed-theater/)

[Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/)

> [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Jay Kristoff

> [“No up. No down. No sky. No ground. Just endless dark shot through with tiny spears of sunlight older than you and your entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/no-up-no-down-no-sky-no-ground-just-endless-dark-shot-through-with/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“Now, children, watch closely. Hold your breath. Listen. And I will show you the components of calamity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/now-children-watch-closely-hold-your-breath-listen-and-i-will-show/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“Memory is a traitor, and a liar, and a good-for-nothing thief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/memory-is-a-traitor-and-a-liar-and-a-good-for-nothing-thief/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“My name,' he sad, 'is Tric.' The girl looked him over, dark eyes narrowed. A puzzle, this one. And sure and certain, our girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/my-name-he-sad-is-tric-the-girl-looked-him-over-dark-eyes-narrowed-a/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“LOOK AROUND. GAME DEAD, RIVERS BLACK, LAND CHOKED WITH WEED. SKIES BLEEDING, RED AS BLOOD. FOR WHAT? YOUR KIND ARE BLIND. YOU SEE ONLY…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/look-around-game-dead-rivers-black-land-choked-with-weed-skies/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“Hanna D: Your pep talks ----ing suck, AIDAN. AIDAN: . . . Suck what? Hanna D: Never mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/hanna-d-your-pep-talks-ing-suck-aidan-aidan-suck-what-hanna-d-never/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“It's truth to say in all save solitude - and in some sad cases, even then - you can always count on the company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/it-s-truth-to-say-in-all-save-solitude-and-in-some-sad-cases-even/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“We have a saying in Vaan," Byern replied. "In every breath, hope abides." (...) "Just keep breathing, little Crow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/we-have-a-saying-in-vaan-byern-replied-in-every-breath-hope-abides/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“It's easy to lose yourself in the idea of a person and be blinded to their reality. It's a simple thing, to love a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/it-s-easy-to-lose-yourself-in-the-idea-of-a-person-and-be-blinded-to/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“Dying is easy. Anyone can throw themselves onto the pyre and rest a happy martyr. Enduring the suffering that comes with sacrifice is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/dying-is-easy-anyone-can-throw-themselves-onto-the-pyre-and-rest-a/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“All power comes with a tithe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/all-power-comes-with-a-tithe/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“Looking out over the mezzanine to the endless shelves below, the girl couldn’t help but smile. She’d grown up inside books. No matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/looking-out-over-the-mezzanine-to-the-endless-shelves-below-the-girl/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“There is power in words. There are words that bid us laugh and make us weep. Words to begin with and words to end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/there-is-power-in-words-there-are-words-that-bid-us-laugh-and-make-us/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“No matter how dark life became, shutting out the hurt was as easy as opening a cover.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/no-matter-how-dark-life-became-shutting-out-the-hurt-was-as-easy-as/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

> [“The thunder tiger looked at her like an avalanche looks at a butterfly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/the-thunder-tiger-looked-at-her-like-an-avalanche-looks-at-a-butterfly/)

[Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

[Explore all 78 Jay Kristoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/)

## More Shadows quotes

> [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I watched the movie 'What We Do in the Shadows' in a packed theater when it first came out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/i-watched-the-movie-what-we-do-in-the-shadows-in-a-packed-theater/)

[Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/)

> [Even in the darkness, his smile threw shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/even-in-the-darkness-his-smile-threw-shadows/)

[Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/)

> [“strike from the shadows, disapear into darkness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/strike-from-the-shadows-disapear-into-darkness/)

[derek landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [The sun was trembling on the brink of the world, the shadows at their longest, and they still had several kilometers to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/the-sun-was-trembling-on-the-brink-of-the-world-the-shadows-at-their/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [Never Allow The Dark Shadows Of Your Past To Dim The Light You Were Destined To Shine...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prahmiss/never-allow-the-dark-shadows-of-your-past-to-dim-the-light-you-were/)

Prahmiss

> [“Try to think of it as though we are rewriting history––the first time this experience occurred you and I never kissed in this Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/try-to-think-of-it-as-though-we-are-rewriting-history-the-first-time/)

[Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/)

> [As we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/as-we-wind-on-down-the-road-our-shadows-taller-than-our-souls/)

[Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/)

> [“My dream is to create something so beautiful that it encourages people to present the best version of themselves to me everywhere I go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/my-dream-is-to-create-something-so-beautiful-that-it-encourages/)

[Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/)

> [“There is light in the shadow just as there is shadow in the light and although many disclaim these shadows as everything unpleasant in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kensi-brianne-smith/there-is-light-in-the-shadow-just-as-there-is-shadow-in-the-light-and/)

Kensi Brianne Smith

> [There are only shades of gray. Black and white are nothing more than lofty ideals in our minds, the standards by which we try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/there-are-only-shades-of-gray-black-and-white-are-nothing-more-than/)

[Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/)

> [“She bid him farewell, And scrutinized his silhouette, That slowly faded in the shadows. She whispered, "Au-revoir" To the nocturnal mist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruqayya-shaheed-khan/she-bid-him-farewell-and-scrutinized-his-silhouette-that-slowly-faded/)

Ruqayya Shaheed Khan

> [“I've always been in others' shadows”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-hassell/i-ve-always-been-in-others-shadows/)

[Santino Hassell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-hassell/)

> [“Shadows of the world made shadows of the heart much deeper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-krafton/shadows-of-the-world-made-shadows-of-the-heart-much-deeper/)

[Ash Krafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-krafton/)

> [Nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants currently live within our borders. That's 11 million people living in the shadows whom we know next to nothing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-israel/nearly-11-million-undocumented-immigrants-currently-live-within-our/)

[Steve Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-israel/)

[Browse all 940 Shadows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadows/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Before I found you, I was just a shape waiting in the shadows.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jay Kristoff"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-waiting-in-the-shadows/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Shadows"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-waiting-in-the-shadows/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/jay-kristoff-8078_shadows_before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-wa_846807.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/jay-kristoff-8078_shadows_before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-wa_846807.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/jay-kristoff-8078_shadows_before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-wa_846807.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Before I found you, I was just a shape waiting in the shadows.” — Jay Kristoff",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jay Kristoff",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Before I found you, I was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-waiting-in-the-shadows/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/before-i-found-you-i-was-just-a-shape-waiting-in-the-shadows/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
