--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Desolate city. Snow on the streets. Fire…" description: "\"“Desolate city. Snow on the streets. Fire in the sky. It could have been one of a hundred wars. But there- The place on the street where the snow had m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c66/lauren-kate-636_change-things_desolate-city-snow-on-the-streets-fire-i_3118322.jpg" --- # Desolate city. Snow on the streets. Fire in the sky. It… ![“Desolate city. Snow on the streets. Fire in the sky. It could have been one of a hundred wars. But there- The place on the street where the snow had melted. The dark crater in the sea of white.Daniel sank to his knees and reached for the ring of black ash stained on the ground.He closed his…” quote by Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c66/lauren-kate-636_change-things_desolate-city-snow-on-the-streets-fire-i_3118322.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c66/lauren-kate-636_change-things_desolate-city-snow-on-the-streets-fire-i_3118322.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c66/lauren-kate-636_change-things_desolate-city-snow-on-the-streets-fire-i_3118322.jpg) > ““Desolate city. Snow on the streets. Fire in the sky. It could have been one of a hundred wars. But there- The place on the street where the snow had melted. The dark crater in the sea of white.Daniel sank to his knees and reached for the ring of black ash stained on the ground.He closed his eyes.And he remembered the precise way she had died in his arms. Moscow.1941. So this was what she was doing-tunneling into her past lives. Hoping to understand. The thing was,there was no rhyme or reason to her deaths.More than anyone, Daniel knew that. But there were certain lifetimes when he'd tried to shed some light for her,hoping it would change things. Sometimes he'd hoped to keep her alive longer,though that never really worked. Sometimes-like this time during the siege of Moscow-he'd chosen to send her on her way more quickly.To spare her.So that his kiss could be the last thing she felt in that lifetime.”” [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In wartime Moscow, Daniel recalls a lover’s death, confronting the futility of trying to alter fate and the bittersweet finality of a last kiss. **In simple terms:** War and loss make attempts to change destiny feel futile. Key Takeaway Accept love’s impermanence and cherish moments. Themes war love fate Mood tragic reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - historical fiction - romantic tragedy - psychological analysis - memorial writing - grief counseling Key Concepts history psychology memory Questions to Reflect On - How do we find meaning after loss? - Can love transcend the inevitability of death? A Different Perspective Even with effort, some outcomes remain unchangeable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-things/) [Eyes Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-remembered-1264171/) [Moscow 1941](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moscow-1941-5465533/) [Moscow Chosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moscow-chosen-5465534/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-lives/) [Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembered/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“At the sting in her eyes, she remembered for him that there must be no tears in his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/at-the-sting-in-her-eyes-she-remembered-for-him-that-there-must-be-no/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [“I reeled with giddiness - flames passed before my eyes. I remembered those precipices that drew one towards them with irresistible power - wells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erckmann-chatrian/i-reeled-with-giddiness-flames-passed-before-my-eyes-i-remembered/) [Erckmann-Chatrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erckmann-chatrian/) > [I love to read, but I didn't know how I could keep up with my eyes, ... But I remembered that the library had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-bryant/i-love-to-read-but-i-didn-t-know-how-i-could-keep-up-with-my-eyes-but/) [Dorothy Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-bryant/) > [“You remembered,” he said quietly. Lowering the bow, Scarlet kept her eyes on him. “I remembered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-fine/you-remembered-he-said-quietly-lowering-the-bow-scarlet-kept-her-eyes/) [Chelsea Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-fine/) > [“Had I glimpsed just a little of the suffering I would witness and the heartbreak I would endure, I would have fled in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-walker/had-i-glimpsed-just-a-little-of-the-suffering-i-would-witness-and-the/) [Daniel Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-walker/) > [“I tend to forget how important she is." Jasper looked into his brother's brown eyes and remembered when they had sat and talked when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mireille-chester/i-tend-to-forget-how-important-she-is-jasper-looked-into-his-brother/) [Mireille Chester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mireille-chester/) > [“What unnerved me more than all the rest were her sunglasses. I could not see her eyes but, as I remembered the inhuman green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/what-unnerved-me-more-than-all-the-rest-were-her-sunglasses-i-could/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [“I should have kept my eyes on him, should have remembered where I got my mean streak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lawrence/i-should-have-kept-my-eyes-on-him-should-have-remembered-where-i-got/) [Mark Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lawrence/) > [“Daniel.” Luce gripped his shoulder. “What about the library you took me to? Remember?” She closed her eyes. She wasn’t thinking so much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/daniel-luce-gripped-his-shoulder-what-about-the-library-you-took-me/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“I didn’t do it to you, I did it to her. Maybe your past self thinks it’s funny.” “She doesn’t.” “That’s not my fault.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/i-didn-t-do-it-to-you-i-did-it-to-her-maybe-your-past-self-thinks-it/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [Do I need to ease up on the psychedelics, or did LP just recall one of her past lives unprompted at the most crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/do-i-need-to-ease-up-on-the-psychedelics-or-did-lp-just-recall-one-of/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“Tell me the best part of all your lives." She wanted to say When I found you, every time. But it wasn't as simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/tell-me-the-best-part-of-all-your-lives-she-wanted-to-say-when-i/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [In 'Past Lives,' the villains of the story are time and space - 23years and the Pacific Ocean - so those things needed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-song/in-past-lives-the-villains-of-the-story-are-time-and-space-23years/) [Celine Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-song/) > [“I've had my past lives read, my aura tuned, my chakras aligned, my spirit guides channeled, my palms interpreted, and my kundalini awakened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sera-j-beak/i-ve-had-my-past-lives-read-my-aura-tuned-my-chakras-aligned-my/) [Sera J. Beak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sera-j-beak/) > [Right before the pandemic, 'Past Lives' came across to me as something to read and possibly put myself on tape for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/right-before-the-pandemic-past-lives-came-across-to-me-as-something/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) ## More by Lauren Kate > [“Of course,there had only been one place to find her. The first one.The beginning. Daniel tumbled toward the first life, ready to wait there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/of-course-there-had-only-been-one-place-to-find-her-the-first-one-the/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [Trial by fire.' Roland whistled, patting Luce on the back. 'Show no fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/trial-by-fire-roland-whistled-patting-luce-on-the-back-show-no-fear/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“In the middle of the room was the bed where he had lain after that bullet found his neck near the Piave River front.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/in-the-middle-of-the-room-was-the-bed-where-he-had-lain-after-that/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [Soooo," Arriane said. "Now you've met Randy." "I thought his name was Cam." "We're not talking about him," Arriane said quickly. "I mean the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/soooo-arriane-said-now-you-ve-met-randy-i-thought-his-name-was-cam-we/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“Tossed By Waves, She Does Not Sink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/tossed-by-waves-she-does-not-sink/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“Then angels were all around them, the old crew who'd formed at Sword & Cross and hundreds of other places before that. Arriane, Roland,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/then-angels-were-all-around-them-the-old-crew-who-d-formed-at-sword/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“Eureka didn’t voice her perverse enjoyment at dressing as an object with a second life when it was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/eureka-didn-t-voice-her-perverse-enjoyment-at-dressing-as-an-object/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“I didn’t do it to you, I did it to her. Maybe your past self thinks it’s funny.” “She doesn’t.” “That’s not my fault.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/i-didn-t-do-it-to-you-i-did-it-to-her-maybe-your-past-self-thinks-it/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“You were blasted out of the sanctuary. The force of the explosion caused the first avalanche that buried the Qayom Malak , but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/you-were-blasted-out-of-the-sanctuary-the-force-of-the-explosion/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“Who are you?” Luce asked, falling to her knees. “What do you want?” “Show some respect.” The angel’s throat convulsed as if he meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/who-are-you-luce-asked-falling-to-her-knees-what-do-you-want-show/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“When she rolled over, nestling her back into Daniel’s chest so that he was cradling her with his right wing, her eyelids fluttered shut.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/when-she-rolled-over-nestling-her-back-into-daniel-s-chest-so-that-he/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“He shone so bright, the sun could have borrowed light from him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/he-shone-so-bright-the-sun-could-have-borrowed-light-from-him/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [This estrogen force field needs to dissipate... Move along. All of you. Now!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/this-estrogen-force-field-needs-to-dissipate-move-along-all-of-you-now/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“Luce watched Lucinda’s posture change, a smile stretching across her face at the sight of Daniel. And Luce felt that same smile on her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/luce-watched-lucinda-s-posture-change-a-smile-stretching-across-her/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [All that is good in Heaven and on Earth is born of love. This war is not just. This war is not good. Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/all-that-is-good-in-heaven-and-on-earth-is-born-of-love-this-war-is/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) [Explore all 416 Lauren Kate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) ## More Change things quotes > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [“I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I can’t keep hoping to be rescued from my life. 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Even when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-truett-anderson/gandhi-is-best-remembered-for-his-adherence-to-the-principle-of/) [Walter Truett Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-truett-anderson/) > [Simply having rules does not change the things that people want to do. You have to change incentives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/simply-having-rules-does-not-change-the-things-that-people-want-to-do/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I believe that prayer changes us and we change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-to-believe-that-prayer-changes-things-but-now-i-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You cannot change the things, so you don't need to stress if you're going to change them. So why complain? It looks so simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/you-cannot-change-the-things-so-you-don-t-need-to-stress-if-you-re/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [I'm always trying to change things - change my character, change my look, change my hair, change my facial hair, change my costumes, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/i-m-always-trying-to-change-things-change-my-character-change-my-look/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [When something doesn't go your way, never lose hope in Allah. That faith could be just enough for Him to change things around for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-something-doesn-t-go-your-way-never-lose-hope-in-allah-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're a black superhero, you can't erase the notion that you're black. 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Try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-may-not-control-all-the-events-that-happen-to-you-but-you-can/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) [Browse all 661 Change things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Desolate city. Snow on the streets. Fire in the sky. It could have been one of a hundred wars. But there- The place on the street where the snow had melted. The dark crater in the sea of white.Daniel sank to his knees and reached for the ring of black ash stained on the ground.He closed his eyes.And he remembered the precise way she had died in his arms. Moscow.1941. So this was what she was doing-tunneling into her past lives. Hoping to understand. The thing was,there was no rhyme or reason to her deaths.More than anyone, Daniel knew that. But there were certain lifetimes when he'd tried to shed some light for her,hoping it would change things. Sometimes he'd hoped to keep her alive longer,though that never really worked. 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