--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was no up, there was no down. There…" description: "\"“There was no up, there was no down. There was a steady, nauseated life five minutes ago, but nothing five minutes from now. And then, very suddenly, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a71/paige-harbison-58441_cried_there-was-no-up-there-was-no-down-there_462818.jpg" --- # There was no up, there was no down. There was a steady… ![“There was no up, there was no down. There was a steady, nauseated life five minutes ago, but nothing five minutes from now. And then, very suddenly, there was no 'now.” quote by Paige Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a71/paige-harbison-58441_cried_there-was-no-up-there-was-no-down-there_462818.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a71/paige-harbison-58441_cried_there-was-no-up-there-was-no-down-there_462818.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a71/paige-harbison-58441_cried_there-was-no-up-there-was-no-down-there_462818.jpg) > ““There was no up, there was no down. There was a steady, nauseated life five minutes ago, but nothing five minutes from now. And then, very suddenly, there was no 'now.”” [Paige Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-harbison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sudden loss of temporal reference creates a disorienting, timeless state, highlighting fragility of perception. **In simple terms:** Time can vanish instantly. Key Takeaway Stay present, adapt quickly. Themes time perception disorientation Mood confused introspective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - crisis - meditation - travel - sudden change Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What anchors you when time feels meaningless? - How do you find stability in flux? A Different Perspective Our sense of now is fragile and can be disrupted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) ## Related quotes > [I remember a time when I was only able to focus for like 40 minutes and suddenly my head was like a pigeon. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iga-swiatek/i-remember-a-time-when-i-was-only-able-to-focus-for-like-40-minutes/) [Iga Swiatek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iga-swiatek/) > [Tally turned away. Five minutes was suddenly too long to stand here, eyes burning, unable to cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/tally-turned-away-five-minutes-was-suddenly-too-long-to-stand-here/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“What’s happening?” Her question was quiet. “Honey, cast your mind back,” he urged gently. “Two minutes ago, I was kissin’ you. Three days ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/what-s-happening-her-question-was-quiet-honey-cast-your-mind-back-he/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Sometimes what I did five minutes ago scared the fuck out of me five minutes later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/sometimes-what-i-did-five-minutes-ago-scared-the-fuck-out-of-me-five/) [Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/) > [I can remember something that happened three years ago but not five minutes ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-remember-something-that-happened-three-years-ago-but-not-five/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You were young, I thought, not once but always before, always always, every day before the day just passed. You were young only minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-schaffert/you-were-young-i-thought-not-once-but-always-before-always-always/) [Timothy Schaffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-schaffert/) > [“I don’t have time for foreplay right now. I assume you just got here?” “Two minutes ago, and it’s already been a long half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-ellison/i-don-t-have-time-for-foreplay-right-now-i-assume-you-just-got-here/) [J.T. Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [If I'd wanted you dead five minutes ago, you'd have died five minutes ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/if-i-d-wanted-you-dead-five-minutes-ago-you-d-have-died-five-minutes/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [“And since Rebecca already placed your order five minutes ago, I can only assume that this was an excuse to check out my rack.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-battista/and-since-rebecca-already-placed-your-order-five-minutes-ago-i-can/) [Jeanette Battista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-battista/) > [A few minutes ago, I had a hard time getting through the lobby because of all the people. After today, that won't be happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/a-few-minutes-ago-i-had-a-hard-time-getting-through-the-lobby-because/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [Do not give any time to your past, you cant change what happened 5 minutes ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/do-not-give-any-time-to-your-past-you-cant-change-what-happened-5/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Intellectuals have opinions on subjects they just heard about five minutes ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/intellectuals-have-opinions-on-subjects-they-just-heard-about-five/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“She shook her head. "I'm not leaving him. And I'm out here waiting only because I was making him crazy. The sight of me...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/she-shook-her-head-i-m-not-leaving-him-and-i-m-out-here-waiting-only/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/dan-i-m-not-a-republic-serial-villain-do-you-seriously-think-i-d/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [“If I thought Mom and Dad wouldn’t be looking out the window to see what had delayed us since driving up a few minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-smith/if-i-thought-mom-and-dad-wouldn-t-be-looking-out-the-window-to-see/) [Andrea Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-smith/) ## More by Paige Harbison > [“You realize that everything you think and feel now will be encompassed in the hyphen between two years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-harbison/you-realize-that-everything-you-think-and-feel-now-will-be/) [paige harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-harbison/) > [“I want you to understand how people see you, and how your actions matter...You must learn that your place in the world is important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-harbison/i-want-you-to-understand-how-people-see-you-and-how-your-actions/) [Paige Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-harbison/) > [“I fell asleep, slipping into the kind of dreams that aren’t dreams at all -- just memories with all the details you never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-harbison/i-fell-asleep-slipping-into-the-kind-of-dreams-that-aren-t-dreams-at/) [Paige Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-harbison/) > [“When he imagines you, he should think of every sensation of you before he remembers how you look. How you sound when you laugh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-harbison/when-he-imagines-you-he-should-think-of-every-sensation-of-you-before/) [Paige Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-harbison/) [Explore all 5 Paige Harbison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-harbison/) ## More Cried quotes > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [“In the streets, the children scream, the lovers cried, and the poets dreamed,” he crooned, putting down the metal grill tongs to take my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-clarke/in-the-streets-the-children-scream-the-lovers-cried-and-the-poets/) [Alexandria Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-clarke/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [I was overcome by the Holy Ghost one time, but in a Baptist way. I was six or seven, and I was saved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-was-overcome-by-the-holy-ghost-one-time-but-in-a-baptist-way-i-was/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [“So you aren’t going to tell me what just happened?” I deduced. The fact was clearly readable across his face. He looked me over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markelle-grabo/so-you-aren-t-going-to-tell-me-what-just-happened-i-deduced-the-fact/) [Markelle Grabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markelle-grabo/) > [Blind with love, my daughter has cried nightly for horses, those long-necked marchers and churners that she has mastered, any and all, reigning them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/blind-with-love-my-daughter-has-cried-nightly-for-horses-those-long/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [Yes, I'm a nice man and I enjoy babies. I'm a sensitive guy. 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