--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Very slowly, he turned a full circle…" description: "\"“Very slowly, he turned a full circle, taking in the nothingness of it all. It seemed his lungs could never be large enough to breathe in this much air..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/m-l-stedman-9230_full-circle_very-slowly-he-turned-a-full-circle-taki_3066902.png" --- # Very slowly, he turned a full circle, taking in the… ![“Very slowly, he turned a full circle, taking in the nothingness of it all. It seemed his lungs could never be large enough to breathe in this much air, his eyes could never see this much space, nor could he near the full extent of the rolling, roaring ocean. For the briefest moment, he had no edges.” quote by M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/m-l-stedman-9230_full-circle_very-slowly-he-turned-a-full-circle-taki_3066902.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/m-l-stedman-9230_full-circle_very-slowly-he-turned-a-full-circle-taki_3066902.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/m-l-stedman-9230_full-circle_very-slowly-he-turned-a-full-circle-taki_3066902.png) > ““Very slowly, he turned a full circle, taking in the nothingness of it all. It seemed his lungs could never be large enough to breathe in this much air, his eyes could never see this much space, nor could he near the full extent of the rolling, roaring ocean. For the briefest moment, he had no edges.”” [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage portrays a profound moment of boundless immersion in nature, where the narrator feels overwhelmed by the vastness of the ocean and experiences a loss of personal boundaries. **In simple terms:** He feels engulfed by the endless ocean, losing his sense of self. Key Takeaway Embrace moments that dissolve personal limits. Themes nature boundlessness self‑transcendence spiritual awe Mood tranquil wonderful Type description reflection When to use this quote - travel - creative writing Key Concepts ocean exploration meditation retreats artistic inspiration philosophical contemplation Questions to Reflect On - How does losing edges affect your identity? - What practices help integrate expansive experiences? A Different Perspective Such experiences can be disorienting without grounding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Full circle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/full-circle/) [Nothingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothingness/) [Nothingness Lungs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothingness-lungs-5170698/) [Slowly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slowly/) [Slowly Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slowly-turned-563076/) [Taking Nothingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-nothingness-5170699/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Very slowly he turned his head back to look at Shmuel, who wasn't crying anymore, merely staring at the floor and looking as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/very-slowly-he-turned-his-head-back-to-look-at-shmuel-who-wasn-t/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [After Barbarossa and Pearl Harbor, the war tide slowly turned against the Axis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-dubcek/after-barbarossa-and-pearl-harbor-the-war-tide-slowly-turned-against/) [Alexander Dubcek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-dubcek/) > [My life has been less like a light switch suddenly turning on, and more like a dimmer switch slowly turned up, over time, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/my-life-has-been-less-like-a-light-switch-suddenly-turning-on-and/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [I put you high up in the sky And now, you're not coming down It slowly turned, you let me burn And now, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-put-you-high-up-in-the-sky-and-now-you-re-not-coming-down-it-slowly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fundamentally, the way I work is exactly the same whether I'm making 'Whale Rider' or 'Mulan'. And those two stories are somewhat similar. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/fundamentally-the-way-i-work-is-exactly-the-same-whether-i-m-making/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [“We conclude this list of thanks by coming full circle:We thank the families of 9/11, whose persistence and dedication helped create the Commission.They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-conclude-this-list-of-thanks-by-coming-full-circle-we-thank-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love comes full circle, from the seedling of a loving thought all the way to your gratitude when it appears on the physical plane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-comes-full-circle-from-the-seedling-of-a-loving-thought-all-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You just stay the course, and do what it is that you do, and grow while you're doing it. 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But this is such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/i-ve-come-full-circle-after-a-long-journey-even-though-i-ve-only-been/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [“If there’s one thing you learn from me, after hearing about just under one year of my life can it be that you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-seeley/if-there-s-one-thing-you-learn-from-me-after-hearing-about-just-under/) [R.J. Seeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-seeley/) > [“Marcus woke again to find Sanga lying asleep on his bed, and he quietly climbed off his own mattress, standing still for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/marcus-woke-again-to-find-sanga-lying-asleep-on-his-bed-and-he/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [I've grown up watching and admiring Norm. Sherie actually starred in the first off-Broadway show I ever saw in New York, which was The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-ve-grown-up-watching-and-admiring-norm-sherie-actually-starred-in/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I was really into the first 'Spider-Man' films with Tobey Maguire, so it's pretty cool how it all came full circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-batalon/i-was-really-into-the-first-spider-man-films-with-tobey-maguire-so-it/) [Jacob Batalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-batalon/) ## More by M.L. Stedman > [“He traced the constellations as they slid their way across the roof of the world from dusk till dawn. The precision of it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/he-traced-the-constellations-as-they-slid-their-way-across-the-roof/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day. You have to keep remembering all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/you-only-have-to-forgive-once-to-resent-you-have-to-do-it-all-day/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“Putting down the burden of the lie has meant giving up the freedom of the dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/putting-down-the-burden-of-the-lie-has-meant-giving-up-the-freedom-of/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“Tom thought back to the imposing, empty house: to the silence that deadened every room with a subtly different pitch; to the kitchen smelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/tom-thought-back-to-the-imposing-empty-house-to-the-silence-that/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“He must turn to something solid, because if he didn't, who knew where his mind or his soul could blow away to, like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/he-must-turn-to-something-solid-because-if-he-didn-t-who-knew-where/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“He struggles to make sense of it--all this love, so bent out of shape, refracted, like light through the lens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/he-struggles-to-make-sense-of-it-all-this-love-so-bent-out-of-shape/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“You don't make an omelette without breaking eggs, I'm afraid”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/you-don-t-make-an-omelette-without-breaking-eggs-i-m-afraid/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“We always have a choice. All of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/we-always-have-a-choice-all-of-us/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“Sometimes, you're the one who strikes it lucky. Sometimes, it's the other poor bastard who's left with the short straw, and you just have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/sometimes-you-re-the-one-who-strikes-it-lucky-sometimes-it-s-the/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“The town draws a veil over certain events. This is a small community, where everyone knows that sometimes the contract to forget is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/the-town-draws-a-veil-over-certain-events-this-is-a-small-community/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“Coming back last time to the house she grew up in, Isabel had been reminded of the darkness that had descended with her brothers'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/coming-back-last-time-to-the-house-she-grew-up-in-isabel-had-been/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“Everything's ruined. Nothing can ever be put right." Tom rested a hand on hers. "We've put things right as well as we can. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/everything-s-ruined-nothing-can-ever-be-put-right-tom-rested-a-hand/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“Later still, the war memorials would sprout from the earth, dwelling not on the loss, but on what the loss had won, and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/later-still-the-war-memorials-would-sprout-from-the-earth-dwelling/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“I can forgive and forget... it is so much less exhausting. You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/i-can-forgive-and-forget-it-is-so-much-less-exhausting-you-only-have/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [“It occurs to him that there are different versions of himself to farewell—the abandoned eight-year-old; the delusional soldier who hovered somewhere in hell; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/it-occurs-to-him-that-there-are-different-versions-of-himself-to/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) [Explore all 74 M.L. Stedman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) ## More Full circle quotes > [I was really into the first 'Spider-Man' films with Tobey Maguire, so it's pretty cool how it all came full circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-batalon/i-was-really-into-the-first-spider-man-films-with-tobey-maguire-so-it/) [Jacob Batalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-batalon/) > [I've grown up watching and admiring Norm. Sherie actually starred in the first off-Broadway show I ever saw in New York, which was The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-ve-grown-up-watching-and-admiring-norm-sherie-actually-starred-in/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [“Marcus woke again to find Sanga lying asleep on his bed, and he quietly climbed off his own mattress, standing still for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/marcus-woke-again-to-find-sanga-lying-asleep-on-his-bed-and-he/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [“If there’s one thing you learn from me, after hearing about just under one year of my life can it be that you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-seeley/if-there-s-one-thing-you-learn-from-me-after-hearing-about-just-under/) [R.J. Seeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-seeley/) > [“I've come full circle after a long journey, even though I’ve only been at sleep-away camp for two months. But this is such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/i-ve-come-full-circle-after-a-long-journey-even-though-i-ve-only-been/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [Everything comes full circle! Be careful what you send out because it's coming right back to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everything-comes-full-circle-be-careful-what-you-send-out-because-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the 19th century China dominated the manufacture of porcelain. Then European factories discovered a cheaper method of making pottery of equal quality, demolishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/in-the-19th-century-china-dominated-the-manufacture-of-porcelain-then/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [You just stay the course, and do what it is that you do, and grow while you're doing it. Eventually it will either come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/you-just-stay-the-course-and-do-what-it-is-that-you-do-and-grow-while/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [Love comes full circle, from the seedling of a loving thought all the way to your gratitude when it appears on the physical plane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-comes-full-circle-from-the-seedling-of-a-loving-thought-all-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We conclude this list of thanks by coming full circle:We thank the families of 9/11, whose persistence and dedication helped create the Commission.They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-conclude-this-list-of-thanks-by-coming-full-circle-we-thank-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fundamentally, the way I work is exactly the same whether I'm making 'Whale Rider' or 'Mulan'. And those two stories are somewhat similar. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/fundamentally-the-way-i-work-is-exactly-the-same-whether-i-m-making/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [“Nonfiction at its best is like fashioning a cabinet. It can be elegant and very beautiful but it can never be sculpture. Captive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/nonfiction-at-its-best-is-like-fashioning-a-cabinet-it-can-be-elegant/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [“One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/one-of-the-most-important-variables-in-whether-an-enterprise-remains/) [Stephen R. 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