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Like Water Quote by Jessica Blank

“It comes out of my mouth like water: the things he said at the beginning, what it's like to know a person's smell, the anxious catch that now has dulled to normal when I hold the pay phone and it rings and rings. How underneath I don't believe he's coming anymore, and I wish I could turn the air…” quote by Jessica Blank
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““It comes out of my mouth like water: the things he said at the beginning, what it's like to know a person's smell, the anxious catch that now has dulled to normal when I hold the pay phone and it rings and rings. How underneath I don't believe he's coming anymore, and I wish I could turn the air beside me into something solid to fill the hole he leaves. How sometimes when he'd touch me I'd go out onto the very edges of myself, far like on a tightrope or a plank, and balance knowing there was only air to catch me; how he'd hold me there till it got scary, sometimes longer, and it was realer and more raw than any thing I'd ever felt. How he would always close his eyes and seem so comfortable, casual even, and I was always amazed at that: how brave he must be for it not to scare him at all. How sometimes it broke me into two pieces, and I'd lie there under him naked and stretched out past my skin, and another me would watch from the ceiling. Even if it was too much I had to grow to hold it, because it belonged to me now, and I belonged to him, and if I let any of the pressure of it spill like water from my faucet mouth, it would all leak out and be gone from me forever. That's what he always said. ””

Jessica Blank

About This Quote

Source Short story excerpt, date unknown

Describes intense emotional dependency, longing for tangible connection, and fear of loss in a relationship.

In simple terms: Deep yearning for emotional closeness.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and communicate relational needs.

Themes

love dependency emotion relationship vulnerability

Mood

intimate melancholic

Type

Like Water:0 Mouth Like:0 Things Said:0 Let Pressure:0 Comes Mouth:0

When to use this quote

  • relationship counseling
  • personal reflection
  • creative writing

Key Concepts

psychology attachment theory literary analysis

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you balance intimacy and independence?
  • What holds you back from expressing needs?
A Different Perspective

Idealizing pain may romanticize unhealthy attachment.

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