--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I remember a story I once heard about…" description: "\"I remember a story I once heard about drowning: that when you fall into cold water it's not that you drown right away but that the cold disorients you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/lauren-oliver-109_bottom_i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-dr_615605.jpg" --- # I remember a story I once heard about drowning: that when… ![“I remember a story I once heard about drowning: that when you fall into cold water it's not that you drown right away but that the cold disorients you and makes you think that down is up and up is down, so you may be swimming, swimming, swimming for your life in the wrong direction, all the way…” quote by Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/lauren-oliver-109_bottom_i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-dr_615605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/lauren-oliver-109_bottom_i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-dr_615605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/lauren-oliver-109_bottom_i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-dr_615605.jpg) > “I remember a story I once heard about drowning: that when you fall into cold water it's not that you drown right away but that the cold disorients you and makes you think that down is up and up is down, so you may be swimming, swimming, swimming for your life in the wrong direction, all the way toward the bottom until you sink. That's how I feel, as though everything has been turned around.” [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling disoriented and trapped, the mind can misinterpret danger, leading to self‑sabotage despite effort. **In simple terms:** Cold water confuses direction, causing wrong‑way swimming. Key Takeaway Check your assumptions and re‑orient before continuing. Themes confusion self‑sabotage perception resilience Mood anxious reflective Type metaphorical motivational When to use this quote - stressful decisions - mental health crises - learning new skills - recovering from failure Key Concepts cognitive bias orientation survival instinct Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions are you making that could be wrong? - How can you verify your direction before acting? A Different Perspective The metaphor may exaggerate danger; not all confusion leads to disaster. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cold water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-water/) [Drown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drown/) [Drowning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drowning/) [Drowning Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drowning-fall-4990754/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Heard Drowning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-drowning-4163975/) [Make you think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-you-think/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Swimming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swimming/) [Think Swimming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-swimming-1454368/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wrong direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-direction/) ## Related quotes > [“Then her face tilted up to his, and he was looking into her eyes again. He had heard of drowning in a woman's eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/then-her-face-tilted-up-to-his-and-he-was-looking-into-her-eyes-again/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“While I was swimming in the pool the other day, I was thinking about all kinds of things. About you, about Helsinki. I’m not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/while-i-was-swimming-in-the-pool-the-other-day-i-was-thinking-about/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“I think of the turtles swimming steadily against the current all the way to Ascension. I think of them swimming through all that golden-green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-hoban/i-think-of-the-turtles-swimming-steadily-against-the-current-all-the/) [Russell Hoban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-hoban/) > [Most of the preparedness happens during training every single day, so it's all about getting to a meet and being as relaxed as possible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-krayzelburg/most-of-the-preparedness-happens-during-training-every-single-day-so/) [Lenny Krayzelburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-krayzelburg/) > [I think swimming's hard because I can't float.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erinn-smart/i-think-swimming-s-hard-because-i-can-t-float/) [Erinn Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erinn-smart/) > [“You think about bathing in the sea – thick as velvet, supple and smooth as a wild animal. You think about swimming naked, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-think-about-bathing-in-the-sea-thick-as-velvet-supple-and-smooth/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I should as soon think of swimming across Charles River, when I wish to go to Boston, as of reading all my books in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-should-as-soon-think-of-swimming-across-charles-river-when-i-wish/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Mr. Kaminski pulled a chain hanging from the pressed-metal kitchen ceiling, and light seeped from a bulb, casting a wan glow over a scarred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/mr-kaminski-pulled-a-chain-hanging-from-the-pressed-metal-kitchen/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [Whereas most other modern composers are engaged in manufacturing cocktails of every hue and description, I offer the public pure cold water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sibelius/whereas-most-other-modern-composers-are-engaged-in-manufacturing/) [Jean Sibelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sibelius/) > [I chose to dive into a pool of cold water in 'Ooty' though the director suggested that we use a stuntman. I was pleased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delhi-ganesh/i-chose-to-dive-into-a-pool-of-cold-water-in-ooty-though-the-director/) [Delhi Ganesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delhi-ganesh/) > [“I tell Dylan I have to go to the bathroom. I shut the door and try to pee, but my dick's already sticking straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-tell-dylan-i-have-to-go-to-the-bathroom-i-shut-the-door-and-try-to/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [When the whole discussion of "developing a national idea" hastily began in post-Soviet Russia, I tried to pour cold water on it with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/when-the-whole-discussion-of-developing-a-national-idea-hastily-began/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [I miss the ocean. I miss diving into the cold water and coming out a new man. On the road it's hard to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-stone/i-miss-the-ocean-i-miss-diving-into-the-cold-water-and-coming-out-a/) [Angus Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-stone/) > [“You know the two most dear people to me in all the world are Madge and Anna Spears. You don't know them...Rosemary knows them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-the-two-most-dear-people-to-me-in-all-the-world-are-madge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For a long time before I met you, I felt my life was this kind of test. I was in deep, cold water, swimming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/for-a-long-time-before-i-met-you-i-felt-my-life-was-this-kind-of-test/) [Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/) ## More by Lauren Oliver > [“My aunt Carol hasn’t heard her say a word in the whole six years and three months of Grace’s life—not a single syllable. Carol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/my-aunt-carol-hasn-t-heard-her-say-a-word-in-the-whole-six-years-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [This is what happens when you try to help people. You get screwed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/this-is-what-happens-when-you-try-to-help-people-you-get-screwed/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [We'll walk together holding hands, and kiss in broad daylight, and love each other as much as we want to, and no one will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/we-ll-walk-together-holding-hands-and-kiss-in-broad-daylight-and-love/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“At least when I'm sleeping I can dream myself back to Alex, can dream myself into a different world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/at-least-when-i-m-sleeping-i-can-dream-myself-back-to-alex-can-dream/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [People are like ants: Just a few of them give all the orders. And most of them spend their lives getting squashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/people-are-like-ants-just-a-few-of-them-give-all-the-orders-and-most/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Summer explodes into Portland. In early June the heat was there but not the color--the green were still pale and tentative, the morning had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/summer-explodes-into-portland-in-early-june-the-heat-was-there-but/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Mistake, mistake, mistake. A strange word: stinging, somehow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/mistake-mistake-mistake-a-strange-word-stinging-somehow/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I wonder if it's ever really possible to know the truth about someone else, or if the best we can do is just stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-wonder-if-it-s-ever-really-possible-to-know-the-truth-about-someone/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Julian is somewhere among those lights, in that blur of people and buildings. I wonder whether he's scared. I wonder whether he's thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/julian-is-somewhere-among-those-lights-in-that-blur-of-people-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [A room full of words that are nearly the truth but not quite, each note fluttering off the steam of its rose like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/a-room-full-of-words-that-are-nearly-the-truth-but-not-quite-each/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“She’s the kind of person who makes you feel drunk just by being around her, like suddenly the world’s edges are dulled and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/she-s-the-kind-of-person-who-makes-you-feel-drunk-just-by-being/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Stop!” His voice rings out sharply, hard as a slap. He releases me and I stumble backward. “Alex is dead, do you hear me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/stop-his-voice-rings-out-sharply-hard-as-a-slap-he-releases-me-and-i/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [..in that moment i realize how much i love the little everyday routines of my life..the details that are my life's special pattern, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/in-that-moment-i-realize-how-much-i-love-the-little-everyday-routines/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“You can't judge a book by its steel-toed combat boots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-judge-a-book-by-its-steel-toed-combat-boots/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) [Explore all 1,181 Lauren Oliver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) ## More Bottom quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Filmmaking, like sex, isn't a polite enterprise. It involves a lot of mess and the bottom line is, if somebody ain't screaming, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/filmmaking-like-sex-isn-t-a-polite-enterprise-it-involves-a-lot-of/) [James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I plead with my Moonlight fans to give this show a chance if they let me give it a chance. I can’t do Moonlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-o-loughlin/i-plead-with-my-moonlight-fans-to-give-this-show-a-chance-if-they-let/) [Alex O'Loughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-o-loughlin/) > [Well, the bottom line is that I'm extremely pleased with 'The Stupids.' I'm pleased that it's coming out, and it should look good. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis/well-the-bottom-line-is-that-i-m-extremely-pleased-with-the-stupids-i/) [John Landis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis/) > [Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/search-for-the-seed-of-good-in-every-adversity-master-that-principle/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I would have had a clause in my contract; I would've definitely put some fine print in my contract that said, "If the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-budden/i-would-have-had-a-clause-in-my-contract-i-would-ve-definitely-put/) [Joe Budden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-budden/) > [Of course the Dharma-body of the Buddha was the hedge at the bottom of the garden. At the same time, and no less obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/of-course-the-dharma-body-of-the-buddha-was-the-hedge-at-the-bottom/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/) > [Life is a climb and it's a struggle getting to the top but the drop to the bottom can be quick and so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/life-is-a-climb-and-it-s-a-struggle-getting-to-the-top-but-the-drop/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [One thing you learned as a Cubs fan: when you bought you ticket, you could bank on seeing the bottom of the ninth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/one-thing-you-learned-as-a-cubs-fan-when-you-bought-you-ticket-you/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) > [The political satirist usually votes against their own interests, but the bottom line is that it doesn't really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/the-political-satirist-usually-votes-against-their-own-interests-but/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) [Browse all 2,558 Bottom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I remember a story I once heard about drowning: that when you fall into cold water it's not that you drown right away but that the cold disorients you and makes you think that down is up and up is down, so you may be swimming, swimming, swimming for your life in the wrong direction, all the way toward the bottom until you sink. That's how I feel, as though everything has been turned around.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Oliver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-drowning-that-when-you-fall/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bottom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-drowning-that-when-you-fall/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/lauren-oliver-109_bottom_i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-dr_615605.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/lauren-oliver-109_bottom_i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-dr_615605.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/lauren-oliver-109_bottom_i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-dr_615605.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I remember a story I once heard about drowning: that when you fall into cold water it's not that you drown…” — Lauren Oliver", "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": "Lauren Oliver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I remember a story I once...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-drowning-that-when-you-fall/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-remember-a-story-i-once-heard-about-drowning-that-when-you-fall/#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 } } ] } ```