--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I remember it so well. Dying. It was the…" description: "\"“I remember it so well. Dying. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I couldn't scream because my lungs were torn apart or full of blood..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/tahereh-mafi-229_brave_i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-m_3137797.png" --- # I remember it so well. Dying. It was the most painful… ![“I remember it so well. Dying. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I couldn't scream because my lungs were torn apart or full of blood. I don't know. I just had to lie there, trying to breathe, hoping to drop dead as quickly as possible. And the whole time, the whole time I kept…” quote by Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/tahereh-mafi-229_brave_i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-m_3137797.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/tahereh-mafi-229_brave_i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-m_3137797.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/tahereh-mafi-229_brave_i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-m_3137797.png) > ““I remember it so well. Dying. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I couldn't scream because my lungs were torn apart or full of blood. I don't know. I just had to lie there, trying to breathe, hoping to drop dead as quickly as possible. And the whole time, the whole time I kept thinking about how I'd spent my entire life being a coward, and how it got me nowhere. And I knew that if I had the chance to do it all again, I'd do it differently. I promised myself I'd finally stop being afraid.”” [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing death forces a stark confrontation with personal cowardice and the desire to change. **In simple terms:** Death reveals fear and the wish to be braver. Key Takeaway Embrace courage now. Themes mortality self‑reflection redemption Mood anguished determined Type confessional inspirational When to use this quote - hospital - war zone - terminal illness - personal crisis Key Concepts existential dread personal growth regret Questions to Reflect On - What would you do differently if you could start over? - How can you act courageously today? A Different Perspective Only confronting fear may not guarantee lasting change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Entire life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-life/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Torn apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torn-apart/) ## Related quotes > [“...I kept thinking about how Id spent my entire life being a coward, and how it got me nowhere. And I knew that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-kept-thinking-about-how-id-spent-my-entire-life-being-a-coward-and/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [Male privilege and entitlement are dying a very painful death; no one gives up power without a struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-allred/male-privilege-and-entitlement-are-dying-a-very-painful-death-no-one/) [Gloria Allred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-allred/) > [“The idea that one will die is more painful than dying, but less painful than the idea that another person is dead, that, becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-idea-that-one-will-die-is-more-painful-than-dying-but-less/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“For example, as you’re reading this paragraph, our whales and dolphins are still dying painful lingering deaths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-irwin/for-example-as-you-re-reading-this-paragraph-our-whales-and-dolphins/) [Steve Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-irwin/) > [Zuniga Hides the Evidence ... Like the craven coward he is, Markos Zuniga, rising young star of the Democrats, has now removed the page…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-foster-johnson/zuniga-hides-the-evidence-like-the-craven-coward-he-is-markos-zuniga/) [Charles Foster Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-foster-johnson/) > [A soldier surrounded by enemies, if he is to cut his way out, needs to combine a strong desire for living with a strange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/a-soldier-surrounded-by-enemies-if-he-is-to-cut-his-way-out-needs-to/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [Only the following items should be considered to be grave faults: not respecting another's rights; allowing oneself to be paralyzed by fear; feeling guilty;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/only-the-following-items-should-be-considered-to-be-grave-faults-not-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I understood that there would be some backlash, and that scared me, honestly. But deep down, I felt like it was the right thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-hawkins/i-understood-that-there-would-be-some-backlash-and-that-scared-me/) [Andrew Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-hawkins/) > [“A BRAVE DIE ONCE TO LIVE THE REST OF HIS LIFE WHILE A COWARD KILL HIMSELF TO DIE LIFELONG”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/a-brave-die-once-to-live-the-rest-of-his-life-while-a-coward-kill-2/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [“A BRAVE DIE ONCE TO LIVE THE REST OF HIS LIFE WHILE A COWARD KILL HIMSELF TO DIE LIFE LONG”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/a-brave-die-once-to-live-the-rest-of-his-life-while-a-coward-kill/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [He must not merely cling to life, for then he will be a coward, and will not escape. He must not merely wait for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-must-not-merely-cling-to-life-for-then-he-will-be-a-coward-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only faults considered grave are the following: not respecting the rights of one's neighbor, letting oneself be paralyzed by fear, feeling guilty, thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-only-faults-considered-grave-are-the-following-not-respecting-the/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. "He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/courage-is-almost-a-contradiction-in-terms-it-means-a-strong-desire-2/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [“A man cut off by the sea may save his life if he will risk it on the precipice. He can only get away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/a-man-cut-off-by-the-sea-may-save-his-life-if-he-will-risk-it-on-the/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [“I remember hearing you scream, Cat, and seeing your face. But I don’t remember dying. And how can I go on if I’m dead?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-remember-hearing-you-scream-cat-and-seeing-your-face-but-i-don-t/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) ## More by Tahereh Mafi > [His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/his-hands-are-holding-my-cheeks-and-he-pulls-back-just-to-look-me-in/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I didn't want the clothes or the perfect shoes or the expensive anything. I didn't want to be draped in silk. All I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-didn-t-want-the-clothes-or-the-perfect-shoes-or-the-expensive/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“infinite points of feeling for every nerve ending in my body”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/infinite-points-of-feeling-for-every-nerve-ending-in-my-body/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“He's too much. Everything about him is too much. His emotions, his actions, his anger, his aggression. His love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/he-s-too-much-everything-about-him-is-too-much-his-emotions-his/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Right now I can't even control my own imagination as it grips my hair and drags me into the dark”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/right-now-i-can-t-even-control-my-own-imagination-as-it-grips-my-hair/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I want you, I want all of you. I want you inside and out and catching your breath and aching for me like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-want-you-i-want-all-of-you-i-want-you-inside-and-out-and-catching/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I will give no one the satisfaction of my death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-will-give-no-one-the-satisfaction-of-my-death/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I almost forget that she still hates me, despite how hard I’ve fallen for her. And I’ve fallen. So hard. I’ve hit the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-almost-forget-that-she-still-hates-me-despite-how-hard-i-ve-fallen/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/all-i-ever-wanted-was-to-reach-out-and-touch-another-human-being-not/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“It's the kind of kiss that makes you realize oxygen is overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/it-s-the-kind-of-kiss-that-makes-you-realize-oxygen-is-overrated/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“That’s when I understand. Of course she’s not okay. Of course she didn’t get any sleep last night. Last night she almost killed one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-when-i-understand-of-course-she-s-not-okay-of-course-she-didn/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I used to have a family. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-used-to-have-a-family-he/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I've never been able to follow through.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-ve-never-been-able-to-follow-through/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“ground where it smells like ice and metal and dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/ground-where-it-smells-like-ice-and-metal-and-dirt/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) [Explore all 821 Tahereh Mafi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## More Brave quotes > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [If You Love Someone, Be Brave Enough To Tell Them., Otherwise Be Brave Enough To Watch Them To Be Loved By Someone Else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/if-you-love-someone-be-brave-enough-to-tell-them-otherwise-be-brave/) [Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/) > [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [It's always brave to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-s-always-brave-to-be-yourself/) [Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/) > [“Victory is for the fucking brave, not the timid and excuse-riddled weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zakk-wylde/victory-is-for-the-fucking-brave-not-the-timid-and-excuse-riddled-weak/) [Zakk Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zakk-wylde/) > [I'm very proud of 'Every Girl's a Super Girl.' I want all girls to know that no matter what size, color, or shape, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-siwa/i-m-very-proud-of-every-girl-s-a-super-girl-i-want-all-girls-to-know/) [JoJo Siwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-siwa/) > [And I read the moral--A brave endeavour To do thy duty, whate'er its worth, Is better than life with love forever, And love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeffrey-roche/and-i-read-the-moral-a-brave-endeavour-to-do-thy-duty-whate-er-its/) James Jeffrey Roche > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [You know what really made me sick? I was in Washington, D.C. at another time reading in a paper where the U.S. gives Byron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/you-know-what-really-made-me-sick-i-was-in-washington-d-c-at-another/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [To be able to live and train in Iraq under these circumstances you need to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-able-to-live-and-train-in-iraq-under-these-circumstances-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a fallacy with stand up comedy, which is, people come up to comedians, and they go, 'You say what I think but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/there-s-a-fallacy-with-stand-up-comedy-which-is-people-come-up-to/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [Fortune helps the brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence/fortune-helps-the-brave/) [Terence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence/) > [“A ‘good’ father will tenderly cultivate his children. But a ‘good’ father who is also a ‘brave’ father will let the children without cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/a-good-father-will-tenderly-cultivate-his-children-but-a-good-father/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [THE British are brave people. They can face anything, except reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-are-brave-people-they-can-face-anything-except-reality/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) [Browse all 3,314 Brave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I remember it so well. Dying. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I couldn't scream because my lungs were torn apart or full of blood. I don't know. I just had to lie there, trying to breathe, hoping to drop dead as quickly as possible. And the whole time, the whole time I kept thinking about how I'd spent my entire life being a coward, and how it got me nowhere. And I knew that if I had the chance to do it all again, I'd do it differently. I promised myself I'd finally stop being afraid.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tahereh Mafi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-most-painful-thing-i-ve-ever/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brave" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-most-painful-thing-i-ve-ever/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/tahereh-mafi-229_brave_i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-m_3137797.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/tahereh-mafi-229_brave_i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-m_3137797.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/tahereh-mafi-229_brave_i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-m_3137797.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I remember it so well. Dying. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I couldn't scream because…” — Tahereh Mafi", "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": "Tahereh Mafi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I remember it so well. Dying....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-most-painful-thing-i-ve-ever/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-remember-it-so-well-dying-it-was-the-most-painful-thing-i-ve-ever/#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 } } ] } ```