--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Standing there in-between two disgusting…" description: "\"“Standing there in-between two disgusting Dumpsters in some crappy alley with the whole world crumbling down around me, and hearing Alex say those word..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/lauren-oliver-109_fear_standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting_1956038.jpg" --- # Standing there in-between two disgusting Dumpsters in some… ![“Standing there in-between two disgusting Dumpsters in some crappy alley with the whole world crumbling down around me, and hearing Alex say those words, all the fear I have carried with me since I learned to sit, stand, breathe— since I was told that at the very heart of me was something wrong…” quote by Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/lauren-oliver-109_fear_standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting_1956038.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/lauren-oliver-109_fear_standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting_1956038.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/lauren-oliver-109_fear_standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting_1956038.jpg) > ““Standing there in-between two disgusting Dumpsters in some crappy alley with the whole world crumbling down around me, and hearing Alex say those words, all the fear I have carried with me since I learned to sit, stand, breathe— since I was told that at the very heart of me was something wrong, something rotten and diseased, something to be suppressed—since I was told that I was always just a heartbeat away from being damaged—all of it vanishes at once. That thing—the heart of hearts of me, the core of my core—stretches and unfurls even further, soaring like a flag: making me feel stronger than I ever have before.”” [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. A transformative moment can dissolve deep-seated fear, revealing inner strength and purpose. **In simple terms:** Facing fear can unlock hidden power. Key Takeaway Embrace moments that shatter old wounds. Themes growth healing inner strength courage Mood hopeful empowered Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - personal crisis - therapy - creative breakthrough - spiritual awakening Key Concepts psychology self‑acceptance resilience Questions to Reflect On - What fear is still lingering? - How can you sustain this newfound strength? A Different Perspective Such moments may be fleeting and not guarantee lasting change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Heart Hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-hearts-443985/) [Hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts/) [Hearts Core](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts-core-3202627/) [Thing Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-heart-318328/) [Told Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-heart-246508/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [“Cor cordium, heart of hearts, I’ve never said anything truer in my life to anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/cor-cordium-heart-of-hearts-i-ve-never-said-anything-truer-in-my-life/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“You have to follow your heart, otherwise hearts have a habit of breaking”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-ashton/you-have-to-follow-your-heart-otherwise-hearts-have-a-habit-of/) [Clare Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-ashton/) > [“Every day I give you my heart. At the end of the year, there are hundreds of hearts, which I will give to you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/every-day-i-give-you-my-heart-at-the-end-of-the-year-there-are/) [sir kristian goldmund aumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/) > [I know, in my heart of hearts, I don't do things for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-know-in-my-heart-of-hearts-i-don-t-do-things-for-money/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Out of all the sicknesses, a broken heart hearts the most… cuz u can never really mend it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-all-the-sicknesses-a-broken-heart-hearts-the-most-cuz-u-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are in your heart of hearts, you can see beyond appearances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-santana/when-you-are-in-your-heart-of-hearts-you-can-see-beyond-appearances/) [Carlos Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-santana/) > [“...in his heart of hearts he could almost wish that, when he was grown up, his life should consist of nothing but nonsense: just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnar-mykle/in-his-heart-of-hearts-he-could-almost-wish-that-when-he-was-grown-up/) [Agnar Mykle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnar-mykle/) > [Throughout school I appeared in all sorts of productions and deep in my heart of hearts I knew that was what I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-tapper/throughout-school-i-appeared-in-all-sorts-of-productions-and-deep-in/) [Zoe Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-tapper/) > [I attribute my good fortune to the simple fact that I have always tried to write straight from my own heart to the hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-corelli/i-attribute-my-good-fortune-to-the-simple-fact-that-i-have-always/) [Marie Corelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-corelli/) > [But in my heart of hearts, this is the kind of thing... this is what everyone is struggling with in their lives - relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/but-in-my-heart-of-hearts-this-is-the-kind-of-thing-this-is-what/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“We cannot achieve more in life than what we believe in our heart of hearts we deserve to have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-ball/we-cannot-achieve-more-in-life-than-what-we-believe-in-our-heart-of/) [James R. Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-ball/) > [In my heart of hearts I believe I was made to entertain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-luke/in-my-heart-of-hearts-i-believe-i-was-made-to-entertain/) [Derek Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-luke/) > [In my heart of hearts, I'm a character actress, whereas other people play their one strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-lewis/in-my-heart-of-hearts-i-m-a-character-actress-whereas-other-people/) [Juliette Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-lewis/) > [“wanted life, but deep in her heart of hearts she only wanted”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/wanted-life-but-deep-in-her-heart-of-hearts-she-only-wanted/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [I always knew, in my heart of hearts, I would win World's Strongest Man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafthor-bjornsson/i-always-knew-in-my-heart-of-hearts-i-would-win-world-s-strongest-man/) [Hafthor Bjornsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafthor-bjornsson/) ## 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 Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Standing there in-between two disgusting Dumpsters in some crappy alley with the whole world crumbling down around me, and hearing Alex say those words, all the fear I have carried with me since I learned to sit, stand, breathe— since I was told that at the very heart of me was something wrong, something rotten and diseased, something to be suppressed—since I was told that I was always just a heartbeat away from being damaged—all of it vanishes at once. That thing—the heart of hearts of me, the core of my core—stretches and unfurls even further, soaring like a flag: making me feel stronger than I ever have before.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Oliver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting-dumpsters-in-some-crappy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting-dumpsters-in-some-crappy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/lauren-oliver-109_fear_standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting_1956038.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/lauren-oliver-109_fear_standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting_1956038.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c7/lauren-oliver-109_fear_standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting_1956038.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Standing there in-between two disgusting Dumpsters in some crappy alley with the whole world crumbling down…” — 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": "“Standing there in-between two disgusting Dumpsters...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting-dumpsters-in-some-crappy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/standing-there-in-between-two-disgusting-dumpsters-in-some-crappy/#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 } } ] } ```