--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just as I’m about to continue walking…" description: "\"“Just as I’m about to continue walking along the shoreline, the left third of the iceberg breaks off suddenly and crashes violently, like a high-rise a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/shannon-m-mullen-16615_acceptance_just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-al_239047.jpg" --- # Just as I’m about to continue walking along the shoreline… ![“Just as I’m about to continue walking along the shoreline, the left third of the iceberg breaks off suddenly and crashes violently, like a high-rise apartment building imploding in the heart of the city. Tears roll down my face uncontrollably as I watch the two distinct halves of the iceberg drift…” quote by Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/shannon-m-mullen-16615_acceptance_just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-al_239047.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/shannon-m-mullen-16615_acceptance_just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-al_239047.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/shannon-m-mullen-16615_acceptance_just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-al_239047.jpg) > ““Just as I’m about to continue walking along the shoreline, the left third of the iceberg breaks off suddenly and crashes violently, like a high-rise apartment building imploding in the heart of the city. Tears roll down my face uncontrollably as I watch the two distinct halves of the iceberg drift further and further apart from each other. It’s devastating to watch something that seems so strong and unbreakable crumble in an instant. Even more devastating is the feeling that there’s nothing I can do about it.”” [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes a sudden, painful loss of something once thought unbreakable, evoking helplessness and grief. **In simple terms:** A strong thing broke apart, leaving the speaker feeling powerless. Key Takeaway Accept loss and seek support. Themes loss grief helplessness Mood sad reflective Type emotional personal When to use this quote - relationship breakup - career collapse - health crisis - natural disaster Key Concepts impermanence emotional trauma Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with sudden loss? - What can you control in such moments? A Different Perspective Healing takes time and may need external help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Arctic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arctic/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiveness-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness-quotes/) [Halves Iceberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/halves-iceberg-2401013/) [Iceberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iceberg/) [Iceberg Breaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iceberg-breaks-2401010/) [Iceberg Drift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iceberg-drift-2401012/) [Left Iceberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-iceberg-2401011/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-illness/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) ## Related quotes > [“With thousands of years of history frozen in time, it's no wonder that many southerners like me romanticize the north as a place where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/with-thousands-of-years-of-history-frozen-in-time-it-s-no-wonder-that/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Seventy times seven" is a medicine for a healing community, not for a community with all the answers beforehand and all the appropriate punishments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/seventy-times-seven-is-a-medicine-for-a-healing-community-not-for-a/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“It is up to each one of us to immunize ourselves from any disabling bolts of anger and defend ourselves from the thunderstorms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/it-is-up-to-each-one-of-us-to-immunize-ourselves-from-any-disabling/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Forgiving yourself means that you give up on your hope that the past will be different.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-hallowell/forgiving-yourself-means-that-you-give-up-on-your-hope-that-the-past/) [Edward M. Hallowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-hallowell/) > [“The Lord's capacity to forgive a person who is truly repentant is without limit, without qualification”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-camden/the-lord-s-capacity-to-forgive-a-person-who-is-truly-repentant-is/) [Elizabeth Camden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-camden/) > [“You can't restore anything you've previously done, but you can face up to it. You can enlighten the reality. You can entreat forgiveness. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nehali-lalwani/you-can-t-restore-anything-you-ve-previously-done-but-you-can-face-up/) [Nehali Lalwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nehali-lalwani/) > [“Don't wound someone's eye trying to remove the twig from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/don-t-wound-someone-s-eye-trying-to-remove-the-twig-from-it/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Do not be misled into thinking that God simply forgives and forgets. If that were so, there would be no judgment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduvie-donald/do-not-be-misled-into-thinking-that-god-simply-forgives-and-forgets/) [Eduvie Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduvie-donald/) > [“Respect, when rooted in genuine admiration and understanding, becomes a bridge that connects individuals, fostering empathy, acceptance, and a deep appreciation for the inherent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-himachali/respect-when-rooted-in-genuine-admiration-and-understanding-becomes-a/) [Sanjeev Himachali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-himachali/) > [“Even if God forgives you, you do not forgive yourself. You live in your sorrow like a room of mirrors that reflects on and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-johns/even-if-god-forgives-you-you-do-not-forgive-yourself-you-live-in-your/) [Rebecca Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-johns/) > [“Thoughts of estrangement and unforgiveness take no prisoners. They may come like thieves in the night, or devious daylight muggers, to waylay your thoughts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-macdonald-andrew/thoughts-of-estrangement-and-unforgiveness-take-no-prisoners-they-may/) [Roger Macdonald Andrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-macdonald-andrew/) > [“Abandonment is ugly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-moore/abandonment-is-ugly/) [Michelle Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-moore/) > [“I’m beginning to get the feeling that confession is what we need in order to forgive ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-kuhn/i-m-beginning-to-get-the-feeling-that-confession-is-what-we-need-in/) [Shane Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-kuhn/) > [“Forgiveness is the beginning of freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlena-jackson/forgiveness-is-the-beginning-of-freedom/) [Charlena Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlena-jackson/) > [“I understand that you are claiming it is almost impossible to forgive, but only easier to forget. The truth is that, you can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-understand-that-you-are-claiming-it-is-almost-impossible-to-forgive/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) ## More by Shannon M Mullen > [“Suddenly, I’m lighter, only half of who I was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/suddenly-i-m-lighter-only-half-of-who-i-was/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Due to their short bloom time, Sakura blossoms are a metaphor for life itself: beautiful yet fleeting. You’ll realize when you’re as old as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/due-to-their-short-bloom-time-sakura-blossoms-are-a-metaphor-for-life/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Her eyes remind me of the Pacific: Raging. Fearless. Restless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/her-eyes-remind-me-of-the-pacific-raging-fearless-restless/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Is there such a thing as being too happy?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/is-there-such-a-thing-as-being-too-happy/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Family is the most important thing in this life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/family-is-the-most-important-thing-in-this-life/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Sometimes our heroes let us down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/sometimes-our-heroes-let-us-down/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“My mind feels like a race car on the track, getting faster and faster every time I pause to think or blink or try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/my-mind-feels-like-a-race-car-on-the-track-getting-faster-and-faster/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Maybe love’s more than the daily comforts: more than morning coffees and flowers and notes in my lunch bag and holding hands while watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/maybe-love-s-more-than-the-daily-comforts-more-than-morning-coffees/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Sometimes you have to fight for the past and sometimes you have to let go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/sometimes-you-have-to-fight-for-the-past-and-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“I guess love distorts our perception of reality, and it’s even harder to recognize the truth when it’s buried underneath layers of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/i-guess-love-distorts-our-perception-of-reality-and-it-s-even-harder/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“That’s what mountains do, they taunt you, lure you to the freedom of the wilderness, and it is fucking exhilarating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/that-s-what-mountains-do-they-taunt-you-lure-you-to-the-freedom-of/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Who am I fooling? Bad dreams never end. We just pretend they aren’t there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/who-am-i-fooling-bad-dreams-never-end-we-just-pretend-they-aren-t/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“With thousands of years of history frozen in time, it's no wonder that many southerners like me romanticize the north as a place where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/with-thousands-of-years-of-history-frozen-in-time-it-s-no-wonder-that/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Sleeping is much safer than the nightmare I’m living. When I sleep I feel nothing and I do nothing and I see nothing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/sleeping-is-much-safer-than-the-nightmare-i-m-living-when-i-sleep-i/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [“Somehow I find the energy to continue the run. Part of the high that comes after finishing a long run is overcoming the wall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/somehow-i-find-the-energy-to-continue-the-run-part-of-the-high-that/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) [Explore all 39 Shannon M Mullen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Just as I’m about to continue walking along the shoreline, the left third of the iceberg breaks off suddenly and crashes violently, like a high-rise apartment building imploding in the heart of the city. Tears roll down my face uncontrollably as I watch the two distinct halves of the iceberg drift further and further apart from each other. It’s devastating to watch something that seems so strong and unbreakable crumble in an instant. Even more devastating is the feeling that there’s nothing I can do about it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shannon M Mullen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-along-the-shoreline-the-left/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acceptance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-along-the-shoreline-the-left/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/shannon-m-mullen-16615_acceptance_just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-al_239047.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/shannon-m-mullen-16615_acceptance_just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-al_239047.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/shannon-m-mullen-16615_acceptance_just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-al_239047.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just as I’m about to continue walking along the shoreline, the left third of the iceberg breaks off suddenly…” — Shannon M Mullen", "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": "Shannon M Mullen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Just as I’m about to continue...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-along-the-shoreline-the-left/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/just-as-i-m-about-to-continue-walking-along-the-shoreline-the-left/#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 } } ] } ```