--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The dream was over and there was work to…" description: "\"“The dream was over and there was work to be done in the waking nightmare.”\" — K.B. Ezzell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/k-b-ezzell-37416_dream_the-dream-was-over-and-there-was-work-to_2684360.jpg" --- # The dream was over and there was work to be done in the… ![“The dream was over and there was work to be done in the waking nightmare.” quote by K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/k-b-ezzell-37416_dream_the-dream-was-over-and-there-was-work-to_2684360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/k-b-ezzell-37416_dream_the-dream-was-over-and-there-was-work-to_2684360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/k-b-ezzell-37416_dream_the-dream-was-over-and-there-was-work-to_2684360.jpg) > ““The dream was over and there was work to be done in the waking nightmare.”” [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes a transition from a dreamlike state to harsh reality and work. **In simple terms:** Dream ends, work begins in a nightmare. Key Takeaway Accept reality and act. Themes dreams reality work Mood somber reflective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - career start - post‑dream reflection - daily routine Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you shift from dreaming to doing? - What motivates you in a waking nightmare? A Different Perspective May be overly bleak. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Inferno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferno/) [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work to be done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-to-be-done/) ## Related quotes > [Harder than waking from a nightmare was trying to wake herself into one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/harder-than-waking-from-a-nightmare-was-trying-to-wake-herself-into/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [“There was no waking from this nightmare, no comforting whisper in the dark that he was safe really, that it was all in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/there-was-no-waking-from-this-nightmare-no-comforting-whisper-in-the/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“When dreaming is better than reality we're living What's the sense of waking up in a nightmare?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-natad/when-dreaming-is-better-than-reality-we-re-living-what-s-the-sense-of/) Joshua Natad > [“Shaking himself free of pity, he set out to become her waking nightmare, knowing his cruelty may be the only thing capable of saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-willis/shaking-himself-free-of-pity-he-set-out-to-become-her-waking/) [M.S. Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-willis/) > [“I cannot explain the force which pulled me to him. His sudden entrance into my empty life had awakened something very simple and very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-cannot-explain-the-force-which-pulled-me-to-him-his-sudden-entrance/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [I have a sort of waking nightmare: to get this thing just about completed, and the last day to discover one little part that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-reid/i-have-a-sort-of-waking-nightmare-to-get-this-thing-just-about/) [Bill Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-reid/) > [“I studied his face and saw little stars forming in his overcast irises. There must have been a thousand shipwrecks in those gray seas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-studied-his-face-and-saw-little-stars-forming-in-his-overcast/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“To go to sleep one night with your child nestled inside you and wake up the next with no evidence your child ever existed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassia-leo/to-go-to-sleep-one-night-with-your-child-nestled-inside-you-and-wake/) [Cassia Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassia-leo/) > [I'm not afraid of having bad dreams. It's waking up that's the nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-afraid-of-having-bad-dreams-it-s-waking-up-that-s-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“On the other hand, the last week had pretty much been one waking nightmare after another; if this kept up, her dreams wouldn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sagara-west/on-the-other-hand-the-last-week-had-pretty-much-been-one-waking/) [Michelle Sagara West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sagara-west/) > [I heard how people sounded when their dreams were shattered, when their lives were turned into a waking nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scott/i-heard-how-people-sounded-when-their-dreams-were-shattered-when/) [Elizabeth Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-scott/) > [“The smiles he gave me were like lush paintings or lines of romantic prose. What a shame it was that he never saw any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/the-smiles-he-gave-me-were-like-lush-paintings-or-lines-of-romantic/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“Nothing like being in a dream, then waking up to a nightmare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/nothing-like-being-in-a-dream-then-waking-up-to-a-nightmare/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [If you are trying to slip out without waking a sleeping man, zips are a nightmare. Haven't you ever tried to creep out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/if-you-are-trying-to-slip-out-without-waking-a-sleeping-man-zips-are/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [Breaking up is just like having the worst nightmare after the best dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/breaking-up-is-just-like-having-the-worst-nightmare-after-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by K.B. Ezzell > [“I do so love to listen to the deep words of bold men, though I have precious few to add.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-do-so-love-to-listen-to-the-deep-words-of-bold-men-though-i-have/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“I rocketed a commanding finger to the heavens and it rained stardust upon our young heads.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-rocketed-a-commanding-finger-to-the-heavens-and-it-rained-stardust/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“The smiles he gave me were like lush paintings or lines of romantic prose. What a shame it was that he never saw any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/the-smiles-he-gave-me-were-like-lush-paintings-or-lines-of-romantic/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“One of my greatest obsessions is the lights of a city. Through my eyes there is nothing so delicious and rich and lovely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/one-of-my-greatest-obsessions-is-the-lights-of-a-city-through-my-eyes/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“I wrapped my fingers around the first light I saw and felt all at once so happy and so sad and so free. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-wrapped-my-fingers-around-the-first-light-i-saw-and-felt-all-at/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“The ocean will always betray me. No matter how beautiful it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/the-ocean-will-always-betray-me-no-matter-how-beautiful-it-is/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“I studied his face and saw little stars forming in his overcast irises. There must have been a thousand shipwrecks in those gray seas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-studied-his-face-and-saw-little-stars-forming-in-his-overcast/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“Sometimes, trust is something born only out of necessity. A curtain we draw to hide the ugly truth in order to convince ourselves that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/sometimes-trust-is-something-born-only-out-of-necessity-a-curtain-we/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“Bravery is never measured by the magnitude of the actions, but rather by the choices made.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/bravery-is-never-measured-by-the-magnitude-of-the-actions-but-rather/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“Everyone dies a few times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/everyone-dies-a-few-times/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“I cannot explain the force which pulled me to him. His sudden entrance into my empty life had awakened something very simple and very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-cannot-explain-the-force-which-pulled-me-to-him-his-sudden-entrance/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) [Explore all 12 K.B. Ezzell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The dream was over and there was work to be done in the waking nightmare.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "K.B. 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