--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Each of us has always hoped that a…" description: "\"“Each of us has always hoped that a stranger would come who would scatter holy water on the image of the other and lay it for ever”\" — Rebecca West" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/rebecca-west-1248_holy-water_each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stran_958070.jpg" --- # Each of us has always hoped that a stranger would come who… ![“Each of us has always hoped that a stranger would come who would scatter holy water on the image of the other and lay it for ever” quote by Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/rebecca-west-1248_holy-water_each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stran_958070.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/rebecca-west-1248_holy-water_each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stran_958070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/rebecca-west-1248_holy-water_each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stran_958070.jpg) > ““Each of us has always hoped that a stranger would come who would scatter holy water on the image of the other and lay it for ever”” [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desires a transformative encounter that sanctifies and permanently alters another’s image. **In simple terms:** Longing for a profound, lasting connection. Key Takeaway Seek deep, meaningful relationships. Themes longing connection transformation Mood melancholic contemplative Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - romantic relationships - artistic inspiration - spiritual quests Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What does “holy water” symbolize for you? - How can you honor others without losing self? A Different Perspective Such idealization may ignore realistic boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Holy water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-water/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) ## Related quotes > [I am a stranger. I come in peace. Take me to your leader and there will be a massive reward for you in eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glenn/i-am-a-stranger-i-come-in-peace-take-me-to-your-leader-and-there-will/) [John Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glenn/) > [I never wanted to be the person that waited for a stranger to come to town - I wanted to be the stranger!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-never-wanted-to-be-the-person-that-waited-for-a-stranger-to-come-to/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“I was ready when Quentin approached me after school the following day. “Genie,” he said. “Please. Let me expl—moomph!” “Stay away,” I said, mashing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-c-yee/i-was-ready-when-quentin-approached-me-after-school-the-following-day/) [F.C. Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-c-yee/) > [“If you had watched any of those three wonderful films, you would have caught Vampire Gym Teacher # 2: Back to Cruel, where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-fischer/if-you-had-watched-any-of-those-three-wonderful-films-you-would-have/) [Rusty Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-fischer/) > [“Ben had the most expressive face I’d ever seen. When he told a story, he dove into it, re-enacting each character with a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/ben-had-the-most-expressive-face-i-d-ever-seen-when-he-told-a-story/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [“The obstinacy of antiquated institutions in perpetuating themselves resembles the stubbornness of the rancid perfume which should claim our hair, the pretensions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-obstinacy-of-antiquated-institutions-in-perpetuating-themselves/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Well look, I mean, I think that prayer and holy water, and things like that are all fine. They don't do any good, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/well-look-i-mean-i-think-that-prayer-and-holy-water-and-things-like/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“performed to the imaginary Vaastu Purusha. The place is scrupulously cleaned and a light is carried to the centre of the house where a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajender-menen/performed-to-the-imaginary-vaastu-purusha-the-place-is-scrupulously/) Rajender Menen > [“Holy water cannot help you now A thousand armies couldn’t keep me out See, I’ve come to burn your kingdom down I’ve come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/holy-water-cannot-help-you-now-a-thousand-armies-couldn-t-keep-me-out/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [“Mallet? Check. Wooden stake—hickory, of course? Check. Crucifix? Well, yeah. Like five of those. Rohypnol? Check. Holy water? Check. Eyeliner? Check. Yeah, eyeliner. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mallet-check-wooden-stake-hickory-of-course-check-crucifix-well-yeah/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I didn’t know if he was crying for what he’d lost, or for what he’d never had, but there was a beauty in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/i-didn-t-know-if-he-was-crying-for-what-he-d-lost-or-for-what-he-d/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [“Before entering a new home a Vaastu puja is performed to the imaginary Vaastu Purusha. The place is scrupulously cleaned and a light is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajender-menen/before-entering-a-new-home-a-vaastu-puja-is-performed-to-the/) Rajender Menen > [Birth: The first and direst of all disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/birth-the-first-and-direst-of-all-disasters/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Give me a mirror.Or holy water. I'll drink it,even!" I gasped as someone threw water on the side of my face. "A little warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/give-me-a-mirror-or-holy-water-i-ll-drink-it-even-i-gasped-as-someone/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [ “The fact that these kits \[vampire protection\] were generally useless didn’t bother me nearly as much as the idea of holy water being sold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-harper/the-fact-that-these-kits-vampire-protection-were-generally-useless/) [Molly Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-harper/) ## More by Rebecca West > [I see the main problem of my life, and indeed anybody's life, as the balancing of competitive freedoms ... a sense of mutual obligations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-see-the-main-problem-of-my-life-and-indeed-anybody-s-life-as-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“There is, of course, no reason for the existence of the male sex except that sometimes one needs help with moving the piano.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/there-is-of-course-no-reason-for-the-existence-of-the-male-sex-except/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“At the top of a hill our automobile stuck in a snowdrift. Peasants ran out of a cottage near by, shouting with laughter because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/at-the-top-of-a-hill-our-automobile-stuck-in-a-snowdrift-peasants-ran/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [We all drew on the comfort which is given out by the major works of Mozart, which is as real and material as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/we-all-drew-on-the-comfort-which-is-given-out-by-the-major-works-of/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Christianity must be regarded not as a final revelation but as a phase of revelation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/christianity-must-be-regarded-not-as-a-final-revelation-but-as-a/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Art and propaganda have this much connection, that if a propaganda makes art impossible, it is clearly damned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/art-and-propaganda-have-this-much-connection-that-if-a-propaganda/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [The American struggle for the vote was much more difficult than the English for the simple reason that it was much more easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/the-american-struggle-for-the-vote-was-much-more-difficult-than-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [ Like all bad drivers, he \[Henry Andrews\] thought he was the best driver in the world... ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/like-all-bad-drivers-he-henry-andrews-thought-he-was-the-best-driver/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [The childhood of the individual and the race is full of fears, and panic-stricken attempts to avert what is feared by placating the gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/the-childhood-of-the-individual-and-the-race-is-full-of-fears-and/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Humanity is never more sphinxlike than when it is expressing itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/humanity-is-never-more-sphinxlike-than-when-it-is-expressing-itself/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [ \[On Jane Austen:\] To believe her limited in range because she was harmonious in method is as sensible as to imagine that when the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/on-jane-austen-to-believe-her-limited-in-range-because-she-was/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [a good oyster cannot please the palate as acutely as a bad one can revolt it, and a good oyster cannot make him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/a-good-oyster-cannot-please-the-palate-as-acutely-as-a-bad-one-can/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [If there is a God, I don't think He would demand that anyone bow down or stand up to Him. I often have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/if-there-is-a-god-i-don-t-think-he-would-demand-that-anyone-bow-down/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Any authentic work of art must start an argument between the artist and his audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/any-authentic-work-of-art-must-start-an-argument-between-the-artist/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [... there has never been a period in history when there have been necessary killings which has not been instantly followed by a period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/there-has-never-been-a-period-in-history-when-there-have-been/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) [Explore all 264 Rebecca West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) ## More Holy water quotes > [ “The fact that these kits \[vampire protection\] were generally useless didn’t bother me nearly as much as the idea of holy water being sold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-harper/the-fact-that-these-kits-vampire-protection-were-generally-useless/) [Molly Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-harper/) > [Give me a mirror.Or holy water. I'll drink it,even!" I gasped as someone threw water on the side of my face. "A little warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/give-me-a-mirror-or-holy-water-i-ll-drink-it-even-i-gasped-as-someone/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Birth: The first and direst of all disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/birth-the-first-and-direst-of-all-disasters/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Before entering a new home a Vaastu puja is performed to the imaginary Vaastu Purusha. The place is scrupulously cleaned and a light is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajender-menen/before-entering-a-new-home-a-vaastu-puja-is-performed-to-the/) Rajender Menen > [“I didn’t know if he was crying for what he’d lost, or for what he’d never had, but there was a beauty in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/i-didn-t-know-if-he-was-crying-for-what-he-d-lost-or-for-what-he-d/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [“Mallet? Check. Wooden stake—hickory, of course? Check. Crucifix? Well, yeah. Like five of those. Rohypnol? Check. Holy water? Check. Eyeliner? Check. Yeah, eyeliner. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mallet-check-wooden-stake-hickory-of-course-check-crucifix-well-yeah/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Holy water cannot help you now A thousand armies couldn’t keep me out See, I’ve come to burn your kingdom down I’ve come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/holy-water-cannot-help-you-now-a-thousand-armies-couldn-t-keep-me-out/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [“performed to the imaginary Vaastu Purusha. The place is scrupulously cleaned and a light is carried to the centre of the house where a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajender-menen/performed-to-the-imaginary-vaastu-purusha-the-place-is-scrupulously/) Rajender Menen > [Well look, I mean, I think that prayer and holy water, and things like that are all fine. They don't do any good, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/well-look-i-mean-i-think-that-prayer-and-holy-water-and-things-like/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“The obstinacy of antiquated institutions in perpetuating themselves resembles the stubbornness of the rancid perfume which should claim our hair, the pretensions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-obstinacy-of-antiquated-institutions-in-perpetuating-themselves/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Ben had the most expressive face I’d ever seen. When he told a story, he dove into it, re-enacting each character with a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/ben-had-the-most-expressive-face-i-d-ever-seen-when-he-told-a-story/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [“If you had watched any of those three wonderful films, you would have caught Vampire Gym Teacher # 2: Back to Cruel, where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-fischer/if-you-had-watched-any-of-those-three-wonderful-films-you-would-have/) [Rusty Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-fischer/) > [“I was ready when Quentin approached me after school the following day. “Genie,” he said. “Please. Let me expl—moomph!” “Stay away,” I said, mashing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-c-yee/i-was-ready-when-quentin-approached-me-after-school-the-following-day/) [F.C. Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-c-yee/) > [“The priest motioned for the congrecation to sit, then welcomed everyone in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He wasn't so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-baszile/the-priest-motioned-for-the-congrecation-to-sit-then-welcomed/) [Natalie Baszile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-baszile/) > [Just went to a lovely Catholic wedding. I need a drink. They didn't even offer us water. Well they did, but it was Holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-saget/just-went-to-a-lovely-catholic-wedding-i-need-a-drink-they-didn-t/) [Bob Saget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-saget/) [Browse all 137 Holy water quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-water/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Each of us has always hoped that a stranger would come who would scatter holy water on the image of the other and lay it for ever”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rebecca West" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stranger-would-come-who-would/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Holy water" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stranger-would-come-who-would/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/rebecca-west-1248_holy-water_each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stran_958070.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/rebecca-west-1248_holy-water_each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stran_958070.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/rebecca-west-1248_holy-water_each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stran_958070.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Each of us has always hoped that a stranger would come who would scatter holy water on the image of the…” — Rebecca West", "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": "Rebecca West", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Each of us has always hoped...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stranger-would-come-who-would/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/each-of-us-has-always-hoped-that-a-stranger-would-come-who-would/#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 } } ] } ```