--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They tell me I must wade into waters…" description: "\"They tell me I must wade into waters, where I will soon drown. Before I march in, I leave this on the shore for you. I pray you find it, sister, so you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/khaled-hosseini-251_drown_they-tell-me-i-must-wade-into-waters-whe_1679858.png" --- # They tell me I must wade into waters, where I will soon… ![“They tell me I must wade into waters, where I will soon drown. Before I march in, I leave this on the shore for you. I pray you find it, sister, so you will know what was in my heart as I went under.” quote by Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/khaled-hosseini-251_drown_they-tell-me-i-must-wade-into-waters-whe_1679858.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/khaled-hosseini-251_drown_they-tell-me-i-must-wade-into-waters-whe_1679858.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/khaled-hosseini-251_drown_they-tell-me-i-must-wade-into-waters-whe_1679858.png) > “They tell me I must wade into waters, where I will soon drown. Before I march in, I leave this on the shore for you. I pray you find it, sister, so you will know what was in my heart as I went under.” [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A poignant metaphor of sacrifice and unspoken love, urging the listener to understand the depth of the speaker’s feelings before loss. **In simple terms:** Sacrifice reveals hidden love. Key Takeaway Share heartfelt truths before it’s too late. Themes sacrifice love loss communication empathy Mood melancholic reflective poetic Type literary emotional When to use this quote - family bereavement - personal confession - mental health support Key Concepts metaphor emotional confession cultural tradition Questions to Reflect On - What does the water symbolize for you? - How can we better express love before it’s lost? A Different Perspective The metaphor may be too abstract for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [I pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-pray/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [“No one is useless who can pray, my sister.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/no-one-is-useless-who-can-pray-my-sister/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) > [“You must pray.' 'No, Sister.' Ciro smiled weakly. 'I'm not a good Catholic.' 'Well, Ciro, you're a good man, and that's more important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/you-must-pray-no-sister-ciro-smiled-weakly-i-m-not-a-good-catholic/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) > [America was different. America was a river, roarng along, unmindful of the past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/america-was-different-america-was-a-river-roarng-along-unmindful-of/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [it is a heartBreaking sound, Amir Jan, the Wailing of a mother. I pray to Allah you Never hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/it-is-a-heartbreaking-sound-amir-jan-the-wailing-of-a-mother-i-pray/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [ there is a God, there always has been. I see him here, in the eyes of the people in this \[hospital\] corridor of desperation.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/there-is-a-god-there-always-has-been-i-see-him-here-in-the-eyes-of/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Not since before Roe v. Wade has a law or court decision had the potential to devastate access to reproductive health care on such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-northup/not-since-before-roe-v-wade-has-a-law-or-court-decision-had-the/) [Nancy Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-northup/) > [I want a Supreme Court that will stick with Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose, and I want a Supreme Court…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-want-a-supreme-court-that-will-stick-with-roe-v-wade-and-a-woman-s/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I’m Norma McCorvey, the former Jane Roe of the Roe vs. Wade decision that brought ‘legal’ child killing to America. I was persuaded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norma-mccorvey/i-m-norma-mccorvey-the-former-jane-roe-of-the-roe-vs-wade-decision/) [Norma McCorvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norma-mccorvey/) > [Even those who, like me, believe that Roe v. 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Wade back to the states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-would-introduce-and-support-legislation-to-send-roe-v-wade-back-to/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [When you go to the Hollywood world and you wade in the waters out there, you never know who you’re going to meet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/when-you-go-to-the-hollywood-world-and-you-wade-in-the-waters-out/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [The writer must wade into life as into the sea, but only up to the navel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/the-writer-must-wade-into-life-as-into-the-sea-but-only-up-to-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [We are searching for the same thing,” Stripey said. “How do you know?” Janco asked. “I read his mind.” The Sitian pointed to Ari.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/we-are-searching-for-the-same-thing-stripey-said-how-do-you-know/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [If I had lost a leg, I would tell them, instead of a boy, no one would ever ask me if I was 'over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/if-i-had-lost-a-leg-i-would-tell-them-instead-of-a-boy-no-one-would/) [Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/) > [The Bible is shallow enough for a new believer to wade in, but deep enough for a theologian to drown in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson/the-bible-is-shallow-enough-for-a-new-believer-to-wade-in-but-deep/) [Steven J Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson/) ## More by Khaled Hosseini > [“Winter was every kid’s favorite season in Kabul, at least those whose fathers could afford to buy a good iron stove. The reason was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/winter-was-every-kid-s-favorite-season-in-kabul-at-least-those-whose/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Their fights didn’t so much end as dissipate, like a drop of ink in a bowl of water, with a residual taint that lingered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/their-fights-didn-t-so-much-end-as-dissipate-like-a-drop-of-ink-in-a/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“I think that everything he did, feeding the poor, giving money to friends in need, it was all a way of redeeming himself. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-think-that-everything-he-did-feeding-the-poor-giving-money-to/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“it always falls on the sober to pay for the sins of the drunk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/it-always-falls-on-the-sober-to-pay-for-the-sins-of-the-drunk/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/mariam-knew-that-life-for-the-most-part-had-been-unkind-to-her-but-as/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“I pray. I pray that my sins have not caught up with me the way I'd always feared they would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-pray-i-pray-that-my-sins-have-not-caught-up-with-me-the-way-i-d/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“shoes: that putting them on a bed invited death into the family, that a quarrel would follow if one put on the left shoe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/shoes-that-putting-them-on-a-bed-invited-death-into-the-family-that-a/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I have a theory about marriage, Monsieur Boustouler. And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [The short of it is, as an aspiring writer, there is nothing as damaging to your credibility as saying that you don't like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-short-of-it-is-as-an-aspiring-writer-there-is-nothing-as-damaging/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [At that moment, she cannot think of a more reckless, irrational thing than choosing to become a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/at-that-moment-she-cannot-think-of-a-more-reckless-irrational-thing/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“He says this is war. There is no shame in war. Tell him he's wrong. War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/he-says-this-is-war-there-is-no-shame-in-war-tell-him-he-s-wrong-war/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [For many people in the west, Afghanistan is synonymous with the Soviet war and the Taliban. I wanted to remind people that Afghans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-many-people-in-the-west-afghanistan-is-synonymous-with-the-soviet/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Educate yourself, learn about what refugees face when they don't have homes, after they have lost everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/educate-yourself-learn-about-what-refugees-face-when-they-don-t-have/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Rahim Khan laughed. “Children aren’t coloring books. You don’t get to fill them with your favorite colors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/rahim-khan-laughed-children-aren-t-coloring-books-you-don-t-get-to/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) [Explore all 697 Khaled Hosseini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## More Drown quotes > [He tried to drown his troubles but they knew how to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/he-tried-to-drown-his-troubles-but-they-knew-how-to-swim/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“Let me love you, girl who came from the sea. Let us swim to the bottom of the ocean where we can be anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/let-me-love-you-girl-who-came-from-the-sea-let-us-swim-to-the-bottom/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [As all of us are only too aware, the loud and frantic voices of the outer world easily drown out the small, still loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/as-all-of-us-are-only-too-aware-the-loud-and-frantic-voices-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Families – can’t live with them – can’t take them down to the river and drown them all in sacks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/families-can-t-live-with-them-can-t-take-them-down-to-the-river-and/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“It's not just like that. I can't just swim away." "Why not?" "I'm afraid I'll drown." He looks up and gives the world's smallest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/it-s-not-just-like-that-i-can-t-just-swim-away-why-not-i-m-afraid-i/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [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/) > [Drink today, and drown all sorrow; you shall perhaps not do tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fletcher/drink-today-and-drown-all-sorrow-you-shall-perhaps-not-do-tomorrow/) [John Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fletcher/) > [You don't get there the easy way. If you feel sorry for yourself, and you let yourself go down, you will drown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/you-don-t-get-there-the-easy-way-if-you-feel-sorry-for-yourself-and/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [Once you get into this great stream of history you can't get out. You can drown. Or you can be pulled ashore by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/once-you-get-into-this-great-stream-of-history-you-can-t-get-out-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“You're back where you swore yourself you wouldn't be The familiar shackles you can't tell from your own skin Your head's under water when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/you-re-back-where-you-swore-yourself-you-wouldn-t-be-the-familiar/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) > [“If I fall in, I’m going to drown. The weights upon me are too heavy to stay afloat. My only option is to sink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/if-i-fall-in-i-m-going-to-drown-the-weights-upon-me-are-too-heavy-to/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [I lead horses to water and if they don't drink, then I drown them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-brown/i-lead-horses-to-water-and-if-they-don-t-drink-then-i-drown-them/) [Mike Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-brown/) > [There is more than one good way to drown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/there-is-more-than-one-good-way-to-drown/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“He couldn't remember the last time human hands had willingly touched him. Not true. Miranda had. She had touched him as if he were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-callihan/he-couldn-t-remember-the-last-time-human-hands-had-willingly-touched/) [Kristen Callihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-callihan/) > [“Because at night when others are sleeping, I drown myself in poetry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/because-at-night-when-others-are-sleeping-i-drown-myself-in-poetry/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) Browse all 567 Drown quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They tell me I must wade into waters, where I will soon drown. Before I march in, I leave this on the shore for you. 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