--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't say what my first thought was as…" description: "\"“I can't say what my first thought was as I sunk below the surface, because it was mostly a string of four-letter words.”\" — rachel hawkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rachel-hawkins-379_lake_i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as_1044613.jpg" --- # I can't say what my first thought was as I sunk below the… ![“I can't say what my first thought was as I sunk below the surface, because it was mostly a string of four-letter words.” quote by rachel hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rachel-hawkins-379_lake_i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as_1044613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rachel-hawkins-379_lake_i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as_1044613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rachel-hawkins-379_lake_i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as_1044613.jpg) > ““I can't say what my first thought was as I sunk below the surface, because it was mostly a string of four-letter words.”” [rachel hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In a crisis, the mind defaults to simple, instinctive language. **In simple terms:** Crisis triggers basic language. Key Takeaway Recognize instinctive thoughts under stress. Themes psychology stress language Mood anxious reflective Type personal psychological When to use this quote - emergency situations - high‑pressure work - combat training Key Concepts cognitive response survival instinct Questions to Reflect On - What coping strategies calm the mind? - How does language shape perception in danger? A Different Perspective Overreliance on instinct can impair judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lake/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [“He reached out and lightly touched her hair. There’s no way, he thought. I’m sunk. And my heart hasn’t beat the same since she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/he-reached-out-and-lightly-touched-her-hair-there-s-no-way-he-thought/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [The reason they call it 'golf' is that all the other 4 letter words were used up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-nielsen/the-reason-they-call-it-golf-is-that-all-the-other-4-letter-words/) [Leslie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-nielsen/) > [“And it's beyond my energy to explain why I don't think that four-letter word that everyone's so obsessed over and that gets everyone into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/and-it-s-beyond-my-energy-to-explain-why-i-don-t-think-that-four/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“... that a letter isn't always just a letter. Words on page can drench the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-brockmole/that-a-letter-isn-t-always-just-a-letter-words-on-page-can-drench-the/) [Jessica Brockmole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-brockmole/) > [The reason they call if 'golf' is that all the other 4 letter words were used up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-nielsen/the-reason-they-call-if-golf-is-that-all-the-other-4-letter-words/) [Leslie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-nielsen/) > [On the board was a list of words and phrases which her mother considered not suitable for use in college T-shirt design. She had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mckay/on-the-board-was-a-list-of-words-and-phrases-which-her-mother/) [Hilary McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mckay/) > [“I can see that an insufficent, or perhaps even defective, socialization process has led you to believe that four-letter words add power to languauge”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-and-child/i-can-see-that-an-insufficent-or-perhaps-even-defective-socialization/) Preston and Child > [The ten most powerful two-letter words in the English language are: If it is to be, it is up to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/the-ten-most-powerful-two-letter-words-in-the-english-language-are-if/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Today's comics use four-letter words as a shortcut to thinking. They're shooting for that big laugh and it becomes a panic thing, using four-letter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-skelton/today-s-comics-use-four-letter-words-as-a-shortcut-to-thinking-they/) [Red Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-skelton/) > [I don't use four-letter words. I'm not looking for shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/i-don-t-use-four-letter-words-i-m-not-looking-for-shock/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [Love is a four-letter word, but you don't hear in nearly as often as you hear some other four-letter words. It may be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/love-is-a-four-letter-word-but-you-don-t-hear-in-nearly-as-often-as/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I began in an era where four-letter words were not allowed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-morita/i-began-in-an-era-where-four-letter-words-were-not-allowed/) [Pat Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-morita/) > [Less fear; more hope: just four little four-letter words, but when they are vividly felt as emotion, they are behavior changing, life changing, world-changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-tice/less-fear-more-hope-just-four-little-four-letter-words-but-when-they/) Louis Tice > [“There are only two four letter words that are offense to men. The words don’t and stop . Well, unless they are used together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-zolendz/there-are-only-two-four-letter-words-that-are-offense-to-men-the/) [Christine Zolendz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-zolendz/) > [They call it golf because all the other four-letter words were taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-call-it-golf-because-all-the-other-four-letter-words-were-taken/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by rachel hawkins > [“Cal stepped forward, hopefully to come to my rescue. "I could toss her off the pier, Ms. Vanderlyden." Or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/cal-stepped-forward-hopefully-to-come-to-my-rescue-i-could-toss-her/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. The rain of Doritos, the bed thing,this...Maybe it's just that you create too big, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/or-maybe-your-magic-isn-t-that-destructive-after-all-the-rain-of/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“We headed down a narrow flight of stairs that ended at a low arch. Beyond the arch was yet another murky room. Did these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/we-headed-down-a-narrow-flight-of-stairs-that-ended-at-a-low-arch/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“I know it looks vaguely unsanitary and potentially scandalous, Nana, but I promise that Izzy and I are only pursuing noble...pursuits. We've even got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-know-it-looks-vaguely-unsanitary-and-potentially-scandalous-nana/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Looking back, none of this would have happened if I’d brought lip gloss the night of the Homecoming Dance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/looking-back-none-of-this-would-have-happened-if-i-d-brought-lip/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Izzy was sitting cross-legged on the couch, a paper-back book in her hands. She didn’t look up when we came in, and I wondered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/izzy-was-sitting-cross-legged-on-the-couch-a-paper-back-book-in-her/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“I knew." "What?" "I knew what you were then, Sophie. Your dad told me before the betrothal. And you told me about your grandmother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-knew-what-i-knew-what-you-were-then-sophie-your-dad-told-me-before/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Welcome to The Twilight Zone!” The “Holy-crap-that’s-a-lot-of-pink” Zone would have been a more accurate description.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/welcome-to-the-twilight-zone-the-holy-crap-that-s-a-lot-of-pink-zone/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“There was an intruder on a forbidden part of the island, and the security system was compromised." Another image of Archer's sword slicing through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/there-was-an-intruder-on-a-forbidden-part-of-the-island-and-the/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Do you remember the section on controlling demons in Demonologies ? I believe it's in chapter five." "Um...no." Irritation flashed over his face. "Honestly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/do-you-remember-the-section-on-controlling-demons-in-demonologies-i/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Both of us widened our eyes and said, "Woah." Then I immediately blushed. Oh my God, had I just looked at Archer and said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/both-of-us-widened-our-eyes-and-said-woah-then-i-immediately-blushed/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Ah, Grace and Aislinn arguing. It’s like old times again,” a male voice said, sounding vaguely muffled. “Could someone take this blasted thing off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/ah-grace-and-aislinn-arguing-it-s-like-old-times-again-a-male-voice/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Why do you think Lara is Lara Casnoff, and Mrs. Casnoff is Mrs. Casnoff?” Elodie whispered as she worked her magic on the enchanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/why-do-you-think-lara-is-lara-casnoff-and-mrs-casnoff-is-mrs-casnoff/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“Put simply,she freaked me the hell out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/put-simply-she-freaked-me-the-hell-out/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“When someone tells you somebody's been murdered, laughing is probably not the best response. You know, for future reference. But laughing is exactly what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/when-someone-tells-you-somebody-s-been-murdered-laughing-is-probably/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) [Explore all 614 rachel hawkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) ## More Lake quotes > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [“Holy gods. He'd frozen the whole damn lake. He was THAT powerful?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/holy-gods-he-d-frozen-the-whole-damn-lake-he-was-that-powerful/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [You will find a spring by the dwelling of the dead, to the left. Next to it stands a white cypress. Do not approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustaw-herling-grudzinski/you-will-find-a-spring-by-the-dwelling-of-the-dead-to-the-left-next/) [Gustaw Herling-Grudzinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustaw-herling-grudzinski/) > [Near the lake where drooped the willow, Long time ago!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pope-morris/near-the-lake-where-drooped-the-willow-long-time-ago/) [George Pope Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pope-morris/) > [If you looked down to the bottom of my soul, you would understand fully the source of my longing and – pity me. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-looked-down-to-the-bottom-of-my-soul-you-would-understand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They are the largest collection of freshwater lakes in the world. They border eight U.S. states and the Canadian Providence of Ontario and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-magsamen/they-are-the-largest-collection-of-freshwater-lakes-in-the-world-they/) [Susan Magsamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-magsamen/) > [“The lake is always east. East is always the lake. Anywhere else he's ever been he never knows where he is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orner/the-lake-is-always-east-east-is-always-the-lake-anywhere-else-he-s/) [Peter Orner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orner/) > [“I'm not asking you. I'm telling you to marry me Lake...because I can't live without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-m-not-asking-you-i-m-telling-you-to-marry-me-lake-because-i-can-t/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Upon a hill, across a blue lake, that's where I had my first heartbreak. I still remember how it all changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/upon-a-hill-across-a-blue-lake-that-s-where-i-had-my-first-heartbreak/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I knew I would stay in this town when I found the blue enamel pot floating in the lake. The pot led me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-knew-i-would-stay-in-this-town-when-i-found-the-blue-enamel-pot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One little leak becomes a lake, Says the tiny voice in my earpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/one-little-leak-becomes-a-lake-says-the-tiny-voice-in-my-earpiece/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I grew up on the lake and spent most of that time outdoors. As a musician, I travel widely around the country and talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/i-grew-up-on-the-lake-and-spent-most-of-that-time-outdoors-as-a/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [The world turns softly Not to spill its lakes and rivers, The water is held in its arms And the sky is held in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-conkling/the-world-turns-softly-not-to-spill-its-lakes-and-rivers-the-water-is/) Hilda Conkling > [Who could be so lucky? Who comes to a lake for water and sees the reflection of moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/who-could-be-so-lucky-who-comes-to-a-lake-for-water-and-sees-the/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Lake, I love you. The last thing in the world I want to do is hurt you. You know that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/lake-i-love-you-the-last-thing-in-the-world-i-want-to-do-is-hurt-you/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) [Browse all 469 Lake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I can't say what my first thought was as I sunk below the surface, because it was mostly a string of four-letter words.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "rachel hawkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as-i-sunk-below-the-surface/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as-i-sunk-below-the-surface/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rachel-hawkins-379_lake_i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as_1044613.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rachel-hawkins-379_lake_i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as_1044613.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rachel-hawkins-379_lake_i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as_1044613.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't say what my first thought was as I sunk below the surface, because it was mostly a string of…” — rachel hawkins", "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": "rachel hawkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I can't say what my first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as-i-sunk-below-the-surface/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-can-t-say-what-my-first-thought-was-as-i-sunk-below-the-surface/#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 } } ] } ```