Awoke Quote by Paul Bowles
““At some point in the night she had a dream. Or it was possible that she was partially awake, and was only remembering a dream? She was alone among the rocks on a dark coast beside the sea. The water surged upward and fell back languidly, and in the distance she heard surf breaking slowly on a sandy shore. It was comforting to be this close to the surface of the ocean and gaze at the intimate nocturnal details of its swelling and ebbing. And as she listened to the faraway breakers rolling up onto the beach, she became aware of another sound entwined with the intermittent crash of waves: a vast horizontal whisper across the bossom of the sea, carrying an ever-repeated phrase, regular as a lighthouse flashing: Dawn will be breaking soon. She listened a long time: again and again the scarcely audible words were whispered across the moving water. A great weight was being lifted slowly from her; little by little her happiness became more complete, and she awoke. Then she lay for a few minutes marveling the dream, and once again fell asleep.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles, 1960
A dreamlike scene where the ocean’s rhythm and a whispered promise of dawn bring gradual relief and hope.
In simple terms: Dream and sea promise a new day, easing her burden.
Key Takeaway
Embrace patience and trust in renewal.
Themes
hope
healing
nature
dreams
Mood
calm
reflective
hopeful
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- nighttime reflection
- stress relief
- meditation
- creative writing
- therapy
Key Concepts
transcendence
reassurance
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the ocean symbolize for you?
- How can you find calm in repetitive sounds?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may oversimplify complex emotional recovery.
