--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking…" description: "\"Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/meredith-grey-40765_denial_sometimes-reality-has-a-way-of-sneaking_994645.jpg" --- # Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us… ![“Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired, we are scared, denying it doesn't change the truth. Sooner or later we have to…” quote by Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/meredith-grey-40765_denial_sometimes-reality-has-a-way-of-sneaking_994645.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/meredith-grey-40765_denial_sometimes-reality-has-a-way-of-sneaking_994645.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/meredith-grey-40765_denial_sometimes-reality-has-a-way-of-sneaking_994645.jpg) > “Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired, we are scared, denying it doesn't change the truth. Sooner or later we have to put aside our denial and face the world. Head on, guns blazing. De Nile. It's not just a river in Egypt, it's a freakin' ocean. So how do you keep from drowning in it?” [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing harsh realities requires confronting denial and taking bold action despite fear. **In simple terms:** Denial ends, act boldly. Key Takeaway Confront truth, act decisively. Themes resilience truth courage Mood intense reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - overcoming personal crisis - career challenges - health setbacks - social injustice Key Concepts psychology existentialism self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What truths are you avoiding? - How will you protect yourself while confronting them? A Different Perspective Bold action can lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Face The World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-the-world/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Sooner or later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sooner-or-later/) ## Related quotes > [“By the time I was done talking, I considered walking into the ocean and drowning myself,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-erickson/by-the-time-i-was-done-talking-i-considered-walking-into-the-ocean/) [Megan Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-erickson/) > [The left have not the ability to get into reality in any way, shape, manner, or form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-left-have-not-the-ability-to-get-into-reality-in-any-way-shape/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I'm not one of these actors who's out of touch with reality, put it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-klattenhoff/i-m-not-one-of-these-actors-who-s-out-of-touch-with-reality-put-it/) [Diego Klattenhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-klattenhoff/) > [“For is it not written that you must again become a little child to enter the Kingdom? The little child simply marvels at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanti-christo-foundation/for-is-it-not-written-that-you-must-again-become-a-little-child-to/) [Shanti Christo Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanti-christo-foundation/) > [Reality has a way of asserting itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/reality-has-a-way-of-asserting-itself/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Never let reality get in the way of truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-pattison/never-let-reality-get-in-the-way-of-truth/) [Pat Pattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-pattison/) > [Basically you create your experience through your beliefs about yourself and the nature of reality. Another way to understand this is to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/basically-you-create-your-experience-through-your-beliefs-about/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Divine reality is not way up in the sky somewhere; it is readily available in the encounters of everyday life, which make hash of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/divine-reality-is-not-way-up-in-the-sky-somewhere-it-is-readily/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [“Everything is energy and that's all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everything-is-energy-and-that-s-all-there-is-to-it-match-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/fantasy-is-hardly-an-escape-from-reality-it-s-a-way-of-understanding/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [My approach is in talking about reality the way I see it, and I try to grasp the magic that I believe is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-rohrwacher/my-approach-is-in-talking-about-reality-the-way-i-see-it-and-i-try-to/) [Alice Rohrwacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-rohrwacher/) > [Reality - the way that is, exactly as it is, in every moment - is always kind. It's our story about reality that blurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/reality-the-way-that-is-exactly-as-it-is-in-every-moment-is-always/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Imagination is not something apart and hermetic, not a way of leaving reality behind; it is a way of engaging reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-howe/imagination-is-not-something-apart-and-hermetic-not-a-way-of-leaving/) [Irving Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-howe/) > [Our normal expectations about reality are created by a social consensus. We are taught how to see and understand the world. The trick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/our-normal-expectations-about-reality-are-created-by-a-social/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Everybody experiences reality in a way that's only true for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/everybody-experiences-reality-in-a-way-that-s-only-true-for-them/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) ## More by Meredith Grey > [Communication. It's the first thing we really learn in life. Funny thing is, once we grow up, learn our words and really start talking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/communication-it-s-the-first-thing-we-really-learn-in-life-funny/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) > [Maybe we're not supposed to be happy. Maybe gratitude has nothing to do with joy. Maybe being grateful means recognizing what you have for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/maybe-we-re-not-supposed-to-be-happy-maybe-gratitude-has-nothing-to/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) > [Okay, here it is, your choice... it's simple, her or me, and I'm sure she is really great. But Derek, I love you, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/okay-here-it-is-your-choice-it-s-simple-her-or-me-and-i-m-sure-she-is/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) > [Maybe we accept the dream has become a nightmare. We tell ourselves that reality is better. We convince ourselves it's better that wenever dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/maybe-we-accept-the-dream-has-become-a-nightmare-we-tell-ourselves/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) > [A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. Never leave that till tomorrow, he said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/a-couple-of-hundred-years-ago-benjamin-franklin-shared-with-the-world/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) > [You know how when you were a little kid and you believed in fairy tales, that fantasy of what your life would be, white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/you-know-how-when-you-were-a-little-kid-and-you-believed-in-fairy/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) > [Pain, you just have to ride it out, hope it goes away on its own, hope the wound that caused it heals. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/pain-you-just-have-to-ride-it-out-hope-it-goes-away-on-its-own-hope/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) > [Life is not a spectator sport; win, lose or draw, the game is in progress whether we want it to be or not. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/life-is-not-a-spectator-sport-win-lose-or-draw-the-game-is-in/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) > [Here's my heart and soul, please grind them into hamburger, and enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-grey/here-s-my-heart-and-soul-please-grind-them-into-hamburger-and-enjoy/) [Meredith Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) [Explore all 10 Meredith Grey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-grey/) ## More Denial quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [It is through suppression that hells are formed in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/it-is-through-suppression-that-hells-are-formed-in-us/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [But we need to be very clear: because of our decades of collective denial, no gradual, incremental options are now available to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/but-we-need-to-be-very-clear-because-of-our-decades-of-collective/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [What you try to bury just ends up burying you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wagner/what-you-try-to-bury-just-ends-up-burying-you/) [Jane Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wagner/) > [Its up to any government to decide how to react to the denial of basic human rights anywhere in the world, including Egypt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/its-up-to-any-government-to-decide-how-to-react-to-the-denial-of/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Living in denial only makes finding the truth that much harder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-f/living-in-denial-only-makes-finding-the-truth-that-much-harder/) Jules F > [Sanity can take one of only two forms: that of ignorance, or denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/sanity-can-take-one-of-only-two-forms-that-of-ignorance-or-denial/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) > [Denial leads to closure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marwin-machiaveli/denial-leads-to-closure/) Aruho Marwin Machiaveli > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [It is not a question of who dances but of who or what does not dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-st-denis/it-is-not-a-question-of-who-dances-but-of-who-or-what-does-not-dance/) [Ruth St. Denis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-st-denis/) > [What’s looming in the shadows of our ignorance and denial is a critique of civilization itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lierre-keith/what-s-looming-in-the-shadows-of-our-ignorance-and-denial-is-a/) [Lierre Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lierre-keith/) > [“You can hold on to the smallest doubt and take comfort in it, stay in denial and go on with your carefree life, until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/you-can-hold-on-to-the-smallest-doubt-and-take-comfort-in-it-stay-in/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) [Browse all 1,463 Denial quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. 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