--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When, as a child, I first opened my eyes…" description: "\"When, as a child, I first opened my eyes on a Sunday-morning, a feeling of dismal anicipation, which began at least on the Friday,culminated. I knew wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/lewis-carroll-324_bed_when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-o_498123.jpg" --- # When, as a child, I first opened my eyes on a… ![“When, as a child, I first opened my eyes on a Sunday-morning, a feeling of dismal anicipation, which began at least on the Friday,culminated. I knew what was before me, and my wish, if not my word, was "Would God it were evening!" It was no day of rest, but a day of texts, of catechisms (Watts')…” quote by Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/lewis-carroll-324_bed_when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-o_498123.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/lewis-carroll-324_bed_when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-o_498123.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/lewis-carroll-324_bed_when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-o_498123.jpg) > “When, as a child, I first opened my eyes on a Sunday-morning, a feeling of dismal anicipation, which began at least on the Friday,culminated. I knew what was before me, and my wish, if not my word, was "Would God it were evening!" It was no day of rest, but a day of texts, of catechisms (Watts'), of tracts about converted swearers, godly charwomen, and edifying deaths of sinners saved… There was but one rosy spot, in the distance, all that day: and that was "bed-time," which never could come too early!” [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) ## 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 describes a child's dread of a long, oppressive day, yearning for the relief of night and sleep. **In simple terms:** A child feels trapped by endless obligations, longing for rest. Key Takeaway Seek balance between duty and rest. Themes childhood time perception routine longing religion Mood wistful contemplative Type literary reflective When to use this quote - school schedules - religious study - work shifts - creative projects - personal downtime Key Concepts psychology of boredom temporal anxiety spiritual longing Questions to Reflect On - How do we make daily routines more meaningful? - What small changes can bring relief? A Different Perspective It may overstate the gloom of routine, ignoring moments of joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bed time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed-time/) [Catechism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catechism/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Day of rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-of-rest/) [Evening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evening/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friday/) [Godly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/godly/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunday/) [Sunday morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunday-morning/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [We get up in the morning feeling tired. Sometimes we feel good, sometimes bad, but we go through it with feeling. That's the root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-bundini-brown/we-get-up-in-the-morning-feeling-tired-sometimes-we-feel-good/) Drew Bundini Brown > [You know what it's like getting up every morning? Feeling hopeless, feeling like the love of your life is waking up with the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/you-know-what-it-s-like-getting-up-every-morning-feeling-hopeless-2/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [I don't need to wake up in the morning feeling like P.Diddy when I could just wake up in the morning feeling like Spongebob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarahi-gonzalez/i-don-t-need-to-wake-up-in-the-morning-feeling-like-p-diddy-when-i/) [Sarahi Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarahi-gonzalez/) > [You know what it's like getting up every morning? Feeling hopeless, feeling like the love of your life is waking up with the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-foster/you-know-what-it-s-like-getting-up-every-morning-feeling-hopeless/) [Liam Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-foster/) > [I used to wake up every single morning feeling terrible because my abs weren't working properly, and my back would hurt because it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryson-dechambeau/i-used-to-wake-up-every-single-morning-feeling-terrible-because-my/) [Bryson DeChambeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryson-dechambeau/) > [I'll play as long as that competitive spirit and drive is there because that's what gets me up in the morning, that feeling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-broad/i-ll-play-as-long-as-that-competitive-spirit-and-drive-is-there/) [Stuart Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-broad/) > [“Another morning feeling as shattered as I felt the night before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/another-morning-feeling-as-shattered-as-i-felt-the-night-before/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wake up every morning feeling lucky - which is driven by fear, no doubt, since I know it could all go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-richardson/i-wake-up-every-morning-feeling-lucky-which-is-driven-by-fear-no/) [Natasha Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-richardson/) > [Don't wake up in the morning feeling defeated already. Wake up with a strong and unshaken determination to save your day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/don-t-wake-up-in-the-morning-feeling-defeated-already-wake-up-with-a/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [He stepped into the morning feeling more alive than he'd felt in months. Hold fast and believe in me, love, he whispered across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-stepped-into-the-morning-feeling-more-alive-than-he-d-felt-in/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [I wake up every morning feeling blessed and thankful to do what I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wake-up-every-morning-feeling-blessed-and-thankful-to-do-what-i-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you wake up in the morning, feeling like you are the only one in your room & it seems to be dark; dear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott/when-you-wake-up-in-the-morning-feeling-like-you-are-the-only-one-in/) [Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott/) > [The average, healthy, well-adjusted adult gets up at seven-thirty in the morning feeling just plain terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/the-average-healthy-well-adjusted-adult-gets-up-at-seven-thirty-in/) [Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/) > [“You wake in the morning, you’re feeling fine, but all at once you think, “Something’s not right. Something’s off somewhere; what is it?” And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/you-wake-in-the-morning-you-re-feeling-fine-but-all-at-once-you-think/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy! Grab my glasses I'm out the the door bout to hit thee city!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ke-sha/wake-up-in-the-morning-feeling-like-p-diddy-grab-my-glasses-i-m-out/) Ke$sha ## More by Lewis Carroll > [You're thinking about something, my dear, and that makes you forget to talk. I can't tell you just now what the moral of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/you-re-thinking-about-something-my-dear-and-that-makes-you-forget-to/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“I'm afraid I can't explain myself, sir. Because I am not myself, you see?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-m-afraid-i-can-t-explain-myself-sir-because-i-am-not-myself-you-see/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [My beloved friend - one of the most unique and charming personalities of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/my-beloved-friend-one-of-the-most-unique-and-charming-personalities/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Either it brings tears to their eyes, or else -" "Or else what?" said Alice, for the Knight had made a sudden pause. "Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/either-it-brings-tears-to-their-eyes-or-else-or-else-what-said-alice/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“We may give our human loves the unconditional allegiance which we owe only to God. Then they become gods: then they become demons. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/we-may-give-our-human-loves-the-unconditional-allegiance-which-we-owe/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [In the midst of the word he was trying to say In the midst of his laughter and glee, He had softly and suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/in-the-midst-of-the-word-he-was-trying-to-say-in-the-midst-of-his/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“But it must be borne in mind that, if there is a Scylla before me, there is also a Charybdis - and that, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/but-it-must-be-borne-in-mind-that-if-there-is-a-scylla-before-me/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might: He did his very best to make The billows smooth and bright--…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-sun-was-shining-on-the-sea-shining-with-all-his-might-he-did-his/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“In vain we roared;in vain we tried To rouse her into laughter: Her pensive glances wandered wide From orchestra to rafter - "TIER UPON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/in-vain-we-roared-in-vain-we-tried-to-rouse-her-into-laughter-her/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [For the snark was a boojum, you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/for-the-snark-was-a-boojum-you-see/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Thanks for your nice little note, though I am sorry to hear you find Through the Looking Glass so uninteresting. You see I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/thanks-for-your-nice-little-note-though-i-am-sorry-to-hear-you-find/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [You shouldn't make jokes if it makes you so unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/you-shouldn-t-make-jokes-if-it-makes-you-so-unhappy/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [We haven't any and you're too young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/we-haven-t-any-and-you-re-too-young/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Everything is funny, if you can laugh at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/everything-is-funny-if-you-can-laugh-at-it/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I wish I hadn't cried so much!” said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. I shall be punished for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-wish-i-hadn-t-cried-so-much-said-alice-as-she-swam-about-trying-to/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) [Explore all 644 Lewis Carroll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) ## More Bed quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one man in bed at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-raphael/your-idea-of-fidelity-is-not-having-more-than-one-man-in-bed-at-the/) [Frederic Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-raphael/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish I had as much in bed as I get in the newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-wish-i-had-as-much-in-bed-as-i-get-in-the-newspapers/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [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/) > [I have to meditate before I go to bed, always. I have to let the day go and let the eternal in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bellamy-young/i-have-to-meditate-before-i-go-to-bed-always-i-have-to-let-the-day-go/) [Bellamy Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bellamy-young/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. A woman's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-by-a-woodland-stream-he-watched-the-water-rush-over-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/when-i-saw-him-i-thought-i-could-curl-up-inside-him-and-go-to-sleep/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I always wanted to be a movie star. I thought it meant being famous and having breakfast in bed. I didn't know you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-allyson/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star-i-thought-it-meant-being-famous/) [June Allyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-allyson/) Browse all 4,159 Bed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When, as a child, I first opened my eyes on a Sunday-morning, a feeling of dismal anicipation, which began at least on the Friday,culminated. I knew what was before me, and my wish, if not my word, was \"Would God it were evening!\" It was no day of rest, but a day of texts, of catechisms (Watts'), of tracts about converted swearers, godly charwomen, and edifying deaths of sinners saved… There was but one rosy spot, in the distance, all that day: and that was \"bed-time,\" which never could come too early!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lewis Carroll" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-on-a-sunday-morning-a-feeling/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-on-a-sunday-morning-a-feeling/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/lewis-carroll-324_bed_when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-o_498123.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/lewis-carroll-324_bed_when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-o_498123.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/lewis-carroll-324_bed_when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-o_498123.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When, as a child, I first opened my eyes on a Sunday-morning, a feeling of dismal anicipation, which began…” — Lewis Carroll", "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": "Lewis Carroll", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When, as a child, I first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-on-a-sunday-morning-a-feeling/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/when-as-a-child-i-first-opened-my-eyes-on-a-sunday-morning-a-feeling/#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 } } ] } ```