--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Last night I had a nightmare. That me and…" description: "\"“Last night I had a nightmare. That me and someone I cared a lot about were playing a game in a pool. We'd take turns submerging ourselves under the wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/jos-n-harris-929_drowning_last-night-i-had-a-nightmare-that-me-and_3152593.jpg" --- # Last night I had a nightmare. That me and someone I cared… ![“Last night I had a nightmare. That me and someone I cared a lot about were playing a game in a pool. We'd take turns submerging ourselves under the water while the other person kept time. At one point it felt like the other person might be drowning, so I jumped in to pull her up. She smiled and…” quote by José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/jos-n-harris-929_drowning_last-night-i-had-a-nightmare-that-me-and_3152593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/jos-n-harris-929_drowning_last-night-i-had-a-nightmare-that-me-and_3152593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/jos-n-harris-929_drowning_last-night-i-had-a-nightmare-that-me-and_3152593.jpg) > ““Last night I had a nightmare. That me and someone I cared a lot about were playing a game in a pool. We'd take turns submerging ourselves under the water while the other person kept time. At one point it felt like the other person might be drowning, so  I jumped in to pull her up. She smiled and laughed and pushed me away. Then she turned blue and died. I could not resuciate her. I woke up at 3, sweating, in shock and pain. Frightened. But then I realized it was only a dream. But then I realized it was just like real life... Sometimes people we care about play risky games and then don't want our help. There is nothing we can do for them, no matter how much we care...”” [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid nightmare illustrates the helplessness felt when loved ones engage in self‑destructive behavior and reject assistance. **In simple terms:** Dream shows feeling powerless to save someone who refuses help. Key Takeaway Accept limits of control and focus on self‑care. Themes helplessness care risk acceptance Mood anxious reflective Type narrative cautionary When to use this quote - friendship crises - family addiction - mental health support - personal boundaries Key Concepts psychology dream analysis interpersonal dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when loved ones reject help? - What boundaries can protect your own wellbeing? A Different Perspective Not all suffering can be alleviated by external aid. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“This is how my day usually goes. I leave the faucet open and know what it’s like to have my fingers around a minuscule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kharla-m-brillo/this-is-how-my-day-usually-goes-i-leave-the-faucet-open-and-know-what/) Kharla M. Brillo > [“In a polished surface of metal I happen to notice my reflected face; it wears a pale, beaten lonely look, eyes looking out at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kavan/in-a-polished-surface-of-metal-i-happen-to-notice-my-reflected-face/) [Anna Kavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kavan/) > [“In the dark behind the glare of the television, like a mannequin behind it, I could see a silhouette and it wasn’t moving. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chisman/in-the-dark-behind-the-glare-of-the-television-like-a-mannequin/) [Kate Chisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chisman/) > [I shall never forget how I was roused one night by the groans of a fellow prisoner, who threw himself about in his sleep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/i-shall-never-forget-how-i-was-roused-one-night-by-the-groans-of-a/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“Shame isn't a quiet grey cloud, shame is a drowning man who claws his way on top of you, scratching and tearing your skin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/shame-isn-t-a-quiet-grey-cloud-shame-is-a-drowning-man-who-claws-his/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [I know that look, Blake. You are a drowning woman, and the only way out is down the aisle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-know-that-look-blake-you-are-a-drowning-woman-and-the-only-way-out/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [There are many ways to drown, only the most obvious wave their arms as they're going under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-flynn/there-are-many-ways-to-drown-only-the-most-obvious-wave-their-arms-as/) [Nick Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-flynn/) > [Why all these signs around us that make me doubt language and submerge me in meanings, drowning reality instead of extracting it from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/why-all-these-signs-around-us-that-make-me-doubt-language-and/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [You can swim in life and seawater, but both are hard to swallow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/you-can-swim-in-life-and-seawater-but-both-are-hard-to-swallow/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [You cannot sink someone else's end of the boat and still keep your own afloat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bower/you-cannot-sink-someone-else-s-end-of-the-boat-and-still-keep-your/) Charles Bower > [Here is the boy, drowning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/here-is-the-boy-drowning/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“unsignificantly off the coast there was a splash quite unnoticed this was Icarus drowning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/unsignificantly-off-the-coast-there-was-a-splash-quite-unnoticed-this/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [Beloved, let your eyes half close, and your heart beat Over my heart, and your hair fall over my breast, Drowning love's lonely hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/beloved-let-your-eyes-half-close-and-your-heart-beat-over-my-heart/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) ## More by José N. Harris > [“Muchos de los ángeles de Dios no tienen alas...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/muchos-de-los-ngeles-de-dios-no-tienen-alas/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“The best teacher is experience. Not by copying the answers off the kid sitting next to you...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/the-best-teacher-is-experience-not-by-copying-the-answers-off-the-kid/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Fighting can be like champagne. It can go to the head of a coward as quickly as of a hero. Anyone has the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/fighting-can-be-like-champagne-it-can-go-to-the-head-of-a-coward-as/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Amputees suffer itches, cramps and even severe pains in a leg that is no longer there. It can be the same with love...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/amputees-suffer-itches-cramps-and-even-severe-pains-in-a-leg-that-is/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Make a wish, Open your eyes, Live your dream...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/make-a-wish-open-your-eyes-live-your-dream/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Every woman is a living poem... Most men are limericks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/every-woman-is-a-living-poem-most-men-are-limericks/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“I AM my Brother's Keeper!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/i-am-my-brother-s-keeper/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Not all scars are visible. Regardless, they are usually painful when you first get them. But with time they might fade or they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/not-all-scars-are-visible-regardless-they-are-usually-painful-when/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“The fastest runners don't always win the race and the greatest heroes don't always win the battles. But just keep running and fighting if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/the-fastest-runners-don-t-always-win-the-race-and-the-greatest-heroes/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“With having a strong faith, no one can snuff out our hope. Shoot me in the head with a gun and my blood will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/with-having-a-strong-faith-no-one-can-snuff-out-our-hope-shoot-me-in/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“There are moments in life, when just the right words, can be as powerful as acts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/there-are-moments-in-life-when-just-the-right-words-can-be-as/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/and-the-king-will-say-i-tell-you-the-truth-when-you-did-it-to-one-of/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Do not say I didn't loved you Do not say that I didn't give you, My love, body and soul. I gave my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/do-not-say-i-didn-t-loved-you-do-not-say-that-i-didn-t-give-you-my/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Just when you think you know everything you can about a person... surprise!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/just-when-you-think-you-know-everything-you-can-about-a-person/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“To not share a struggle or challenge you overcame is to betray it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/to-not-share-a-struggle-or-challenge-you-overcame-is-to-betray-it/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) [Explore all 321 José N. Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) ## More Drowning quotes > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Beloved, let your eyes half close, and your heart beat Over my heart, and your hair fall over my breast, Drowning love's lonely hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/beloved-let-your-eyes-half-close-and-your-heart-beat-over-my-heart/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“unsignificantly off the coast there was a splash quite unnoticed this was Icarus drowning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/unsignificantly-off-the-coast-there-was-a-splash-quite-unnoticed-this/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [Here is the boy, drowning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/here-is-the-boy-drowning/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [You cannot sink someone else's end of the boat and still keep your own afloat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bower/you-cannot-sink-someone-else-s-end-of-the-boat-and-still-keep-your/) Charles Bower > [You can swim in life and seawater, but both are hard to swallow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/you-can-swim-in-life-and-seawater-but-both-are-hard-to-swallow/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Why all these signs around us that make me doubt language and submerge me in meanings, drowning reality instead of extracting it from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/why-all-these-signs-around-us-that-make-me-doubt-language-and/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [There are many ways to drown, only the most obvious wave their arms as they're going under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-flynn/there-are-many-ways-to-drown-only-the-most-obvious-wave-their-arms-as/) [Nick Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-flynn/) > [I know that look, Blake. You are a drowning woman, and the only way out is down the aisle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-know-that-look-blake-you-are-a-drowning-woman-and-the-only-way-out/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“Shame isn't a quiet grey cloud, shame is a drowning man who claws his way on top of you, scratching and tearing your skin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/shame-isn-t-a-quiet-grey-cloud-shame-is-a-drowning-man-who-claws-his/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [You are not drowned when u fall into the water but u are when you stay in there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psalmgreat/you-are-not-drowned-when-u-fall-into-the-water-but-u-are-when-you/) Psalmgreat > [“Sure, I wouldn’t be in range to do more than dial 911 if she slipped and hit her head and fell into the water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-monroe/sure-i-wouldn-t-be-in-range-to-do-more-than-dial-911-if-she-slipped/) [Max Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-monroe/) > [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. The sound of a helicopter is really annoying until you're drowning, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-always-looking-for-sounds-that-are-pleasing-at-the-time-the-sound/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I got to a point where I had no self-esteem and I just felt like I was drowning, and I had no way out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-anderson/i-got-to-a-point-where-i-had-no-self-esteem-and-i-just-felt-like-i/) [Megan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-anderson/) Browse all 868 Drowning quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Last night I had a nightmare. That me and someone I cared a lot about were playing a game in a pool. We'd take turns submerging ourselves under the water while the other person kept time. At one point it felt like the other person might be drowning, so  I jumped in to pull her up. She smiled and laughed and pushed me away. Then she turned blue and died. I could not resuciate her. I woke up at 3, sweating, in shock and pain. Frightened. But then I realized it was only a dream. But then I realized it was just like real life... Sometimes people we care about play risky games and then don't want our help. There is nothing we can do for them, no matter how much we care...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "José N. 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