--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I closed my eyes. The only things I knew…" description: "\"I closed my eyes. The only things I knew about why Empty Ones worked the way we did was that we had room for extra souls because we started out with le..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06f/kiersten-white-398_dawn_i-closed-my-eyes-the-only-things-i-knew_706935.jpg" --- # I closed my eyes. The only things I knew about why Empty… ![“I closed my eyes. The only things I knew about why Empty Ones worked the way we did was that we had room for extra souls because we started out with less, and that we could make gates because of our innately human sense of home. But my home was here. How on earth was I supposed to find another…” quote by Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06f/kiersten-white-398_dawn_i-closed-my-eyes-the-only-things-i-knew_706935.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06f/kiersten-white-398_dawn_i-closed-my-eyes-the-only-things-i-knew_706935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06f/kiersten-white-398_dawn_i-closed-my-eyes-the-only-things-i-knew_706935.jpg) > “I closed my eyes. The only things I knew about why Empty Ones worked the way we did was that we had room for extra souls because we started out with less, and that we could make gates because of our innately human sense of home. But my home was here. How on earth was I supposed to find another one?The gate needs to be opened and closed before dawn, Cresseda said, a hint of strain flowing through her voice.YES. THANKS FOR THAT. VERY HELPFUL RIGHT NOW.” [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels trapped, yearning for a sense of belonging, but the only way out is through a difficult, time‑bound decision. **In simple terms:** Feeling stuck, needing a choice before sunrise. Key Takeaway Act before the deadline. Themes belonging choice time pressure home search Mood anxious hopeful Type reflective dramatic When to use this quote - personal crisis - search for identity - making decisions - urgent tasks Key Concepts existential longing human connection gate metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What does “home” mean to you? - How can you create belonging without leaving? A Different Perspective The gate may close forever if not opened in time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Empty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty/) [Extras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extras/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gates/) [Helpful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpful/) [Hints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hints/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Opened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-opened-5584815/) [Opened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opened/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls/) [Souls Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls-started-5584816/) [Supposed Gate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-gate-5584814/) [Thanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thanks/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Then the other door opened. I wen't rigid. If I had thought Reth's was beautiful, it was nothing to this soul. It filled the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/then-the-other-door-opened-i-wen-t-rigid-if-i-had-thought-reth-s-was/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“What about our souls?' Mehmed whispered. Before Lada walked out, she paused at the door. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tagg-romney/i-am-sure-it-does-not-hurt-that-mitt-romney-is-my-dad-i-m-sure-it-s/) [Tagg Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tagg-romney/) > [We were in Philadelphia when Manager Pat shifted me from third to short, and right off the bat, I knew I had found my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-wallace/we-were-in-philadelphia-when-manager-pat-shifted-me-from-third-to/) [Bobby Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-wallace/) > [I'm very excited about my new Spotify account, which gives me access to twenty gazillion songs any time, all the time. The day I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-m-very-excited-about-my-new-spotify-account-which-gives-me-access/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I think TARP was the most defining vote since I've been in Congress. It was wrong. You don't nationalize private - it was wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/i-think-tarp-was-the-most-defining-vote-since-i-ve-been-in-congress/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) > [It was you that led me to the musical that's everything to me. You held my hands so that I can enter the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheon-eunbi/it-was-you-that-led-me-to-the-musical-that-s-everything-to-me-you/) [Cheon Eunbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheon-eunbi/) > [I have never done television, essentially, so the Internet has made me and opened avenues for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mithila-palkar/i-have-never-done-television-essentially-so-the-internet-has-made-me/) [Mithila Palkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mithila-palkar/) > [“To me, you are a book I have opened. I can't put it down. I need to know more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/to-me-you-are-a-book-i-have-opened-i-can-t-put-it-down-i-need-to-know/) [Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/) > [What I didn't know that by sticking to craft we would blow open some doors that I never saw opened before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/what-i-didn-t-know-that-by-sticking-to-craft-we-would-blow-open-some/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [“She opened for me, every part of her available and soft for me.  Except her heart, I thought.  That she had closed to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/she-opened-for-me-every-part-of-her-available-and-soft-for-me-except/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [They never opened the door which leads to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/they-never-opened-the-door-which-leads-to-the-soul/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) ## More by Kiersten White > [Be careful. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the worst Spanish student in the history of the language.” I laughed. “No problemo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/be-careful-i-wouldn-t-want-anything-to-happen-to-the-worst-spanish/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“I shuffled my weight from foot to foot, trying to relieve some of the soreness and wondering how long it would take Reth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/i-shuffled-my-weight-from-foot-to-foot-trying-to-relieve-some-of-the/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“It’s about Fia. Everything always is, even when she is nowhere near, even when she left all of us. We still orbit the brilliant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/it-s-about-fia-everything-always-is-even-when-she-is-nowhere-near/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Where did you find that one?" "I have no idea. I'm a magnet for crazies, I guess." "They must be able to sense a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/where-did-you-find-that-one-i-have-no-idea-i-m-a-magnet-for-crazies-i/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [...sometimes I get tired. Sometimes I get bored. And sometimes all I want, more than anything else in the world, is to go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/sometimes-i-get-tired-sometimes-i-get-bored-and-sometimes-all-i-want/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Fun-run" indeed,what a misnomer. That'd be like saying "calm gremlin" or "pleasant hag." Or 'entertaining history textbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/fun-run-indeed-what-a-misnomer-that-d-be-like-saying-calm-gremlin-or/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“You bet I'm trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/you-bet-i-m-trouble/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Yes, I have a driver's license." I leaned back against the wall, sighing. "Man, that must be so cool." "It ranks right up there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/yes-i-have-a-driver-s-license-i-leaned-back-against-the-wall-sighing/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Sir, yes, sir!' Tyler jumps up mock-saluting. 'I love when you get bossy, it's kind of adorable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/sir-yes-sir-tyler-jumps-up-mock-saluting-i-love-when-you-get-bossy-it/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Jack, who apparently always had to be moving in some way, had made up for the missing knife by grabbing a half loaf of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/jack-who-apparently-always-had-to-be-moving-in-some-way-had-made-up/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Reth reached out and took my fingers in his own, his touch light but comforting. “I’ve found that sacrifice is called that for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/reth-reached-out-and-took-my-fingers-in-his-own-his-touch-light-but/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Heaven and hell,your hands are cold." "I never thought I'd prefer the dead silence of the Paths over anything,but it had to be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/heaven-and-hell-your-hands-are-cold-i-never-thought-i-d-prefer-the/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“What about our souls?' Mehmed whispered. Before Lada walked out, she paused at the door. 'Souls and thrones are irreconcilable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/what-about-our-souls-mehmed-whispered-before-lada-walked-out-she/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Give me a mirror.Or holy water. I'll drink it,even!" I gasped as someone threw water on the side of my face. "A little warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/give-me-a-mirror-or-holy-water-i-ll-drink-it-even-i-gasped-as-someone/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Ignorance was bliss. Or at least less painfull”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/ignorance-was-bliss-or-at-least-less-painfull/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) [Explore all 593 Kiersten White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## More Dawn quotes > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Those nights lying alone are not discontinuous with this cold hectic dawn. It is who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/those-nights-lying-alone-are-not-discontinuous-with-this-cold-hectic/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [May dawn, as the proverb goes, bring happy tidings coming from her mother night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/may-dawn-as-the-proverb-goes-bring-happy-tidings-coming-from-her/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Slow buds the pink dawn like a rose From out night's gray and cloudy sheath; Softly and still it grows and grows, Petal by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/slow-buds-the-pink-dawn-like-a-rose-from-out-night-s-gray-and-cloudy/) [Sarah Chauncey Woolsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/) > [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [When there's doom and gloom, don't forget there's darkness before dawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/when-there-s-doom-and-gloom-don-t-forget-there-s-darkness-before-dawn/) [Rakesh Jhunjhunwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/) > [I just wanna stay weird till dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozavzi-jason-trespect/i-just-wanna-stay-weird-till-dawn/) [Ozavzi Jason Trespect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozavzi-jason-trespect/) > [After my final Breaking Dawn scene, I felt like I could shoot up into the night sky and every pore of my body would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/after-my-final-breaking-dawn-scene-i-felt-like-i-could-shoot-up-into/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [My father kept me busy from dawn to dusk when I was a kid. When I wasn't pitching hay, hauling corn or running a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-feller/my-father-kept-me-busy-from-dawn-to-dusk-when-i-was-a-kid-when-i-wasn/) [Bob Feller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-feller/) > [Don't you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter? Then, have hope! Hope forever, for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/don-t-you-know-that-day-dawns-after-night-showers-displace-drought/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [In the beginning, people prayed to the Creatress of Life, the Mistress of Heaven. At the very dawn of religion, God was a woman.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-stone/in-the-beginning-people-prayed-to-the-creatress-of-life-the-mistress/) [Merlin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-stone/) > [You've reached your 60th birthday, Bill To the year, the day, the hour You've been a lifelong country boy Along with Lily, your flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-walter-bratton/you-ve-reached-your-60th-birthday-bill-to-the-year-the-day-the-hour/) [John Walter Bratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-walter-bratton/) > [J. Budziszewski is perhaps the clearest and most eloquent natural lawyer writing today. When reading his works I often find myself amazed by his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-j-beckwith/j-budziszewski-is-perhaps-the-clearest-and-most-eloquent-natural/) [Francis J. Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/) [Browse all 1,500 Dawn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I closed my eyes. The only things I knew about why Empty Ones worked the way we did was that we had room for extra souls because we started out with less, and that we could make gates because of our innately human sense of home. But my home was here. How on earth was I supposed to find another one?The gate needs to be opened and closed before dawn, Cresseda said, a hint of strain flowing through her voice.YES. THANKS FOR THAT. 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