--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Helen leaned down over her husband and…" description: "\"“Helen leaned down over her husband and ran her lips lightly across his bare shoulder in good-bye. Maybe, someday, she would find him by the River Styx..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4b/josephine-angelini-2222_helen_helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-r_2345601.jpg" --- # Helen leaned down over her husband and ran her lips… ![“Helen leaned down over her husband and ran her lips lightly across his bare shoulder in good-bye. Maybe, someday, she would find him by the River Styx. There, they could wash all their hateful memories away, and walk into a new life together, a life that didn’t have the dirty paw prints of a dozen…” quote by Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4b/josephine-angelini-2222_helen_helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-r_2345601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4b/josephine-angelini-2222_helen_helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-r_2345601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4b/josephine-angelini-2222_helen_helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-r_2345601.jpg) > ““Helen leaned down over her husband and ran her lips lightly across his bare shoulder in good-bye. Maybe, someday, she would find him by the River Styx. There, they could wash all their hateful memories away, and walk into a new life together, a life that didn’t have the dirty paw prints of a dozen gods and a dozen kings marring it. Such a beautiful thought. Helen vowed that she would live a hundred lives of hardship for one life—one real life—with Paris. They could be shepherds, just as they had dreamed once when they had met at the great lighthouse long ago. She’d be anything, really, a shopkeeper, or a farmer, whatever, as long as they were allowed to live their lives and each other freely. She dressed quickly, imagining herself tending a shop somewhere by the sea, hoping that someday this dream would come true.”” [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) ## 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 a fresh start with a loved one, free from past burdens and divine interference, imagined through mythic symbolism. **In simple terms:** Desire for a new life together, escaping past pain. Key Takeaway Seek freedom and shared purpose. Themes love rebirth freedom mythology hope Mood hopeful romantic reflective Type narrative inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - relationship renewal - career change - relocation - personal growth - creative imagination Key Concepts mythic journey sacrifice identity renunciation Questions to Reflect On - What sacrifices are you willing to make for love? - How do mythic symbols shape your vision of freedom? A Different Perspective Idealizing escape may overlook practical challenges of real life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Helen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helen/) [Helen Vowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helen-vowed-5692107/) [Life Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-paris-2227810/) [Life together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-together/) [Lives Hardship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-hardship-1400977/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [New life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-life/) [Thought Helen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-helen-990703/) ## Related quotes > [“Orion smiled and leaned back against the wall, letting his gaze drift down in thought. Helen stared at him for a few moments, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/orion-smiled-and-leaned-back-against-the-wall-letting-his-gaze-drift/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I'm riveted by other people's lives so it's never a hardship to talk to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-duchess-of-cornwall/i-m-riveted-by-other-people-s-lives-so-it-s-never-a-hardship-to-talk/) [Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-duchess-of-cornwall/) > [I have learned that most of us must face some form of challenge in our lives. But without hardship, we wouldn’t learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-maclean/i-have-learned-that-most-of-us-must-face-some-form-of-challenge-in/) [Julianne MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-maclean/) > [“Jeanne’s sisters thought nothing of themselves… Helen stayed up late in Brookline, baking. Lemon squares, and brownies, pecan bars, apple cake, sandy almond cookies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/jeanne-s-sisters-thought-nothing-of-themselves-helen-stayed-up-late/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [I had enjoyed life in Paris, and, taking all things into consideration, enjoyed it wholesomely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/i-had-enjoyed-life-in-paris-and-taking-all-things-into-consideration/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [The French league is a bit below the English. But I think life in Paris is more beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-moura/the-french-league-is-a-bit-below-the-english-but-i-think-life-in/) [Lucas Moura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-moura/) > [I have lived most of my life in Paris, but I have a connection with Rome that I have with no other place. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-khondji/i-have-lived-most-of-my-life-in-paris-but-i-have-a-connection-with/) [Darius Khondji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-khondji/) > [Life, that is Paris! Paris, that is life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-bashkirtseff/life-that-is-paris-paris-that-is-life/) [Marie Bashkirtseff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-bashkirtseff/) > [“... you’ll have to fall in love at least once in your life, or Paris has failed to rub off on you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-have-to-fall-in-love-at-least-once-in-your-life-or-paris-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [... youll have to fall in love at least once in your life, or Paris has failed to rub off on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ea-bucchianeri/youll-have-to-fall-in-love-at-least-once-in-your-life-or-paris-has/) [EA Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ea-bucchianeri/) > [“I have lived half of my life in Paris, not the half the made me but the half in which I made what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-have-lived-half-of-my-life-in-paris-not-the-half-the-made-me-but/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I feel that I can win the Champions League with PSG. But it is not only the club but also life in Paris which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-moura/i-feel-that-i-can-win-the-champions-league-with-psg-but-it-is-not/) [Lucas Moura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-moura/) > [“Don't you ever get the feeling that all your life is going by and you're not taking advantage of it? Do you realize you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/don-t-you-ever-get-the-feeling-that-all-your-life-is-going-by-and-you/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [In London, what I do on the weekend is be a person and have my own life. In Paris, it is going from this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anderson/in-london-what-i-do-on-the-weekend-is-be-a-person-and-have-my-own/) [Jonathan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anderson/) > [I am going to enjoy life in Paris I know. It is so human and there is something noble in the city... It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/i-am-going-to-enjoy-life-in-paris-i-know-it-is-so-human-and-there-is/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) ## More by Josephine Angelini > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“She didn't need to be able to see through his chest to know how much he loved her. He was constantly proving it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/she-didn-t-need-to-be-able-to-see-through-his-chest-to-know-how-much/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“You're the only girl I've ever kissed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/you-re-the-only-girl-i-ve-ever-kissed/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“Some things stay a little bit broken forever—even after they’ve been fixed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/some-things-stay-a-little-bit-broken-forever-even-after-they-ve-been/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“As soon as he had her safe again in his arms he broke down and kissed her. Helen was so stunned she stopped crying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/as-soon-as-he-had-her-safe-again-in-his-arms-he-broke-down-and-kissed/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“That's the thing about walls, Matt thought. The men on either side of them sometimes have nearly everything in common--except for the one detail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/that-s-the-thing-about-walls-matt-thought-the-men-on-either-side-of/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“But—I’m leaving.” Not without me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/but-i-m-leaving-not-without-me/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“When she got downstairs, the whole family was in the kitchen, including Lucas. His face lit up like Vegas when he saw her. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/when-she-got-downstairs-the-whole-family-was-in-the-kitchen-including/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“It was supposed to be Orion,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/it-was-supposed-to-be-orion/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“So. Ever get the urge to drown anyone?' Ariadne asked. 'No!' Andy replied, horrified. 'Shes just messing with you,' Helen assured her. Her face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/so-ever-get-the-urge-to-drown-anyone-ariadne-asked-no-andy-replied/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“No need to be embarassed. After seeing you in my cousin's nightgown, you've got nothing to hide. But why were you crying in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/no-need-to-be-embarassed-after-seeing-you-in-my-cousin-s-nightgown/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“Perhaps it wasn't beating because it had broken clean through and stopped”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/perhaps-it-wasn-t-beating-because-it-had-broken-clean-through-and/) [josephine angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“It’s like they never miss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/it-s-like-they-never-miss/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“The only time you ever hurt me is when you leave me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-only-time-you-ever-hurt-me-is-when-you-leave-me/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) [Explore all 162 Josephine Angelini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) ## More Helen quotes > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“She didn't need to be able to see through his chest to know how much he loved her. He was constantly proving it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/she-didn-t-need-to-be-able-to-see-through-his-chest-to-know-how-much/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I'd like to think Helen very much understood what it was to be disadvantaged in the medical field. And that that was something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stuart-masterson/i-d-like-to-think-helen-very-much-understood-what-it-was-to-be/) [Mary Stuart Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-stuart-masterson/) > [“A Letter from a Muse to Her Poet: Dear sir, I was called away and couldn’t bring you, but now I feel haunted. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-whitcomb/a-letter-from-a-muse-to-her-poet-dear-sir-i-was-called-away-and/) [Laura Whitcomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-whitcomb/) > [Helen Crawfurd and the Women's Peace Crusade, made a march on the City Chambers, distributing an illegal leaflet in front of police and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-gallacher/helen-crawfurd-and-the-women-s-peace-crusade-made-a-march-on-the-city/) [Willie Gallacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-gallacher/) > [Passing beauties are only the fugitive reflections of the eternal. All beauty alters and all life melts away; in short, everything passes with marvelous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliphas-levi/passing-beauties-are-only-the-fugitive-reflections-of-the-eternal-all/) [Eliphas Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliphas-levi/) > [“Helen had known that it would be a one-night stand, but she wanted her virginity finished with...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-morgan-parry/helen-had-known-that-it-would-be-a-one-night-stand-but-she-wanted-her/) [Kathryn Morgan Parry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-morgan-parry/) > [Helen Weaver’s book was a revelation to me! Although I was a young woman in the fifties, I was there, but I wasn’t there!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-cassady/helen-weaver-s-book-was-a-revelation-to-me-although-i-was-a-young/) [Carolyn Cassady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-cassady/) > [When we were all getting ready to leave, I walked up to my grandfather and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/when-we-were-all-getting-ready-to-leave-i-walked-up-to-my-grandfather/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“He's a clever little thing, isn't he?" She leaned in to drop a kiss on the kitten's soft head, reaching to move him off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zink/he-s-a-clever-little-thing-isn-t-he-she-leaned-in-to-drop-a-kiss-on/) [Michelle Zink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zink/) > [“No need to be embarassed. After seeing you in my cousin's nightgown, you've got nothing to hide. But why were you crying in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/no-need-to-be-embarassed-after-seeing-you-in-my-cousin-s-nightgown/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“Perhaps it wasn't beating because it had broken clean through and stopped”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/perhaps-it-wasn-t-beating-because-it-had-broken-clean-through-and/) [josephine angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I've been an admirer of Helen Mirren for a long time. As I get older, I find myself admiring older women who have poise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/i-ve-been-an-admirer-of-helen-mirren-for-a-long-time-as-i-get-older-i/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [“Just so you know? Just so we're clear. I care about you, too. And if this hug is all I can have, I'd prefer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/just-so-you-know-just-so-we-re-clear-i-care-about-you-too-and-if-this/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [ And that may be \[Helen Gurley\] Brown’s most enlightened lesson: that sexual autonomy and fulfillment are inseparable from the autonomy and fulfillment that a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-thurman/and-that-may-be-helen-gurley-brown-s-most-enlightened-lesson-that/) [Judith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-thurman/) [Browse all 200 Helen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Helen leaned down over her husband and ran her lips lightly across his bare shoulder in good-bye. Maybe, someday, she would find him by the River Styx. There, they could wash all their hateful memories away, and walk into a new life together, a life that didn’t have the dirty paw prints of a dozen gods and a dozen kings marring it. Such a beautiful thought. Helen vowed that she would live a hundred lives of hardship for one life—one real life—with Paris. They could be shepherds, just as they had dreamed once when they had met at the great lighthouse long ago. She’d be anything, really, a shopkeeper, or a farmer, whatever, as long as they were allowed to live their lives and each other freely. She dressed quickly, imagining herself tending a shop somewhere by the sea, hoping that someday this dream would come true.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josephine Angelini" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-ran-her-lips-lightly-across/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Helen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-ran-her-lips-lightly-across/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4b/josephine-angelini-2222_helen_helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-r_2345601.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4b/josephine-angelini-2222_helen_helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-r_2345601.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4b/josephine-angelini-2222_helen_helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-r_2345601.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Helen leaned down over her husband and ran her lips lightly across his bare shoulder in good-bye. Maybe…” — Josephine Angelini", "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": "Josephine Angelini", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Helen leaned down over her husband...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-ran-her-lips-lightly-across/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/helen-leaned-down-over-her-husband-and-ran-her-lips-lightly-across/#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 } } ] } ```