---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I could just write it down in a piece…"
description: "\"“If I could just write it down in a piece of paper, then maybe she could get a decent night's sleep, eat a little of her dinner. Maybe she could have a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/wally-lamb-1817_blame_if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece_1155917.jpg"
---

#  If I could just write it down in a piece of paper, then…

![“If I could just write it down in a piece of paper, then maybe she could get a decent night's sleep, eat a little of her dinner. Maybe she could have a minute's worth of peace.” quote by Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/wally-lamb-1817_blame_if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece_1155917.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/wally-lamb-1817_blame_if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece_1155917.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/wally-lamb-1817_blame_if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece_1155917.jpg)

> ““If I could just write it down in a piece of paper, then maybe she could get a decent night's sleep, eat a little of her dinner. Maybe she could have a minute's worth of peace.””

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Writing down worries can provide mental space for rest, suggesting externalizing thoughts aids emotional relief.

**In simple terms:** Writing helps calm the mind.

Key Takeaway

Put worries on paper to find peace.

Themes

mental health writing stress relief sleep

Mood

calming hopeful

Type

self‑help inspirational

When to use this quote

- Nighttime journaling
- therapy sessions
- stress management workshops

Key Concepts

Therapeutic writing cognitive offloading mindfulness

Questions to Reflect On

- What helps you release anxiety?
- Can you try a brief writing exercise tonight?

A Different Perspective

Counterpoint: Not all find writing effective; some need other coping methods.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peace of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace-of-mind/)

## Related quotes

> [If you are a responsible scientist, you are going to present your new results in a paper, and maybe if, over time, things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/if-you-are-a-responsible-scientist-you-are-going-to-present-your-new/)

[Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/)

> [I keep saying this - and I keep putting it off because I get busy - but I keep saying one year I'm gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rock/i-keep-saying-this-and-i-keep-putting-it-off-because-i-get-busy-but-i/)

[Tony Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rock/)

> [You cannot cheat success! Gotta work for it! You gotta breathe it! Sleep it! Eat it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/you-cannot-cheat-success-gotta-work-for-it-you-gotta-breathe-it-sleep/)

[Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/)

> [All I do is fight, train, sleep, eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belal-muhammad/all-i-do-is-fight-train-sleep-eat/)

[Belal Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belal-muhammad/)

> [My beauty secret is really three secrets: get eight hours of sleep, eat natural/organic food, and exercise regularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-pivovarova/my-beauty-secret-is-really-three-secrets-get-eight-hours-of-sleep-eat/)

[Sasha Pivovarova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-pivovarova/)

> [Brighton gives me the heebie-jeebies. When I'm near the seafront I can't sleep, I can't eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mcgann/brighton-gives-me-the-heebie-jeebies-when-i-m-near-the-seafront-i-can/)

[Paul McGann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mcgann/)

> [When I go home, all I wanna do is just sleep and eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-bass/when-i-go-home-all-i-wanna-do-is-just-sleep-and-eat/)

[Lance Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-bass/)

> [“6. REGULARITY: Figuring out when they will sleep or eat is a daily puzzle for parents of spirited children who are irregular. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/6-regularity-figuring-out-when-they-will-sleep-or-eat-is-a-daily/)

[Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/)

> [“Think back to when you were a student. Someone likely told you to get a good night’s sleep and to eat a healthy breakfast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/think-back-to-when-you-were-a-student-someone-likely-told-you-to-get/)

[Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/)

> [Baby I dont know what you have done to me but lately I cant sleep I cant eat your always on my mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vybz-kartel/baby-i-dont-know-what-you-have-done-to-me-but-lately-i-cant-sleep-i/)

[Vybz Kartel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vybz-kartel/)

> [The first week of Gamergate, I didn't sleep or eat at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-quinn/the-first-week-of-gamergate-i-didn-t-sleep-or-eat-at-all/)

[Zoe Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-quinn/)

> [I used to sleep, eat, breathe volleyball. Now I have that with my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerri-walsh/i-used-to-sleep-eat-breathe-volleyball-now-i-have-that-with-my-kids/)

[Kerri Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerri-walsh/)

> [I'd eat, eat, eat, not exercise, go to sleep, eat and eat. I looked up in the mirror and said I had to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biz-markie/i-d-eat-eat-eat-not-exercise-go-to-sleep-eat-and-eat-i-looked-up-in/)

[Biz Markie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biz-markie/)

> [“Should I tell her that I can’t sleep, I can’t eat and I miss talkin’ to her? Or just sittin’ with her? That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/should-i-tell-her-that-i-can-t-sleep-i-can-t-eat-and-i-miss-talkin-to/)

[Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/)

> [You get yourself prepared for a big game, you get yourself up for it. Then afterwards you don't sleep or eat properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/you-get-yourself-prepared-for-a-big-game-you-get-yourself-up-for-it/)

[Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/)

## More by Wally Lamb

> [“Sometimes we want something to be true so badly that we convince ourselves that it is true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/sometimes-we-want-something-to-be-true-so-badly-that-we-convince/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [I like to write first-person because I like to become the character I'm writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-like-to-write-first-person-because-i-like-to-become-the-character-i/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [But I think this: that whatever prices I've paid, whatever sorrows I shoulder, well, I have blessings, too. Not just my family now, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/but-i-think-this-that-whatever-prices-i-ve-paid-whatever-sorrows-i/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [“why would white dudes want to change things when they held all the cards?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/why-would-white-dudes-want-to-change-things-when-they-held-all-the/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [“And in taking on the subject of themselves-making themselves vulnerable to the unseen reader-they have exchanged powerlessness for for the power that comes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/and-in-taking-on-the-subject-of-themselves-making-themselves/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [“People had always amazed him, he began. But they amazed him more since the sickness. For as long as the two of them had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/people-had-always-amazed-him-he-began-but-they-amazed-him-more-since/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [“So I got my stuff and the girl at the register puts these other things in my bag, too. Little free samples: gum and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/so-i-got-my-stuff-and-the-girl-at-the-register-puts-these-other/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [What if I don’t like adventure? Then cultivate a taste for it. Take a chance. That’s how you grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/what-if-i-don-t-like-adventure-then-cultivate-a-taste-for-it-take-a/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [“Guess what?' I said. 'I have a psychic.' His head tilted questioningly, birdlike. A sidekick?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/guess-what-i-said-i-have-a-psychic-his-head-tilted-questioningly/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [The evidence of God exists in the roundness of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/the-evidence-of-god-exists-in-the-roundness-of-things/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [Life is a whoopee cushion, a chair pulled away just as you were taking a seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/life-is-a-whoopee-cushion-a-chair-pulled-away-just-as-you-were-taking/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [“What I remembered about those seesaw rides was the way Thomas would get mad at me, midride, and evacuate. Send me crashing back down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/what-i-remembered-about-those-seesaw-rides-was-the-way-thomas-would/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [“I didn't respond to him. Couldn't speak at all. Couldn't look at his self-mutilation--not even the clean, bandaged version of it. Instead, I looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-didn-t-respond-to-him-couldn-t-speak-at-all-couldn-t-look-at-his/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [I write to find out what the story means to me, that is what I try to do especially with the first draft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-write-to-find-out-what-the-story-means-to-me-that-is-what-i-try-to/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

> [“As anxious and limited as that love might have been, it had been love nonetheless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/as-anxious-and-limited-as-that-love-might-have-been-it-had-been-love/)

[Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

[Explore all 204 Wally Lamb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/)

## More Blame quotes

> [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/)

[Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/)

> [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/)

[Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/)

> [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/)

[Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/)

> [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/)

[Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/)

> [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/)

[Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/)

> [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/)

[Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/)

> [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/)

[Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/)

> [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/)

Nurnizz95

> [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/)

[Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/)

> [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/)

Yeasin Khan

> [A refusal to admit one's mistake &amp; not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/)

[Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/)

Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If I could just write it down in a piece of paper, then maybe she could get a decent night's sleep, eat a little of her dinner. Maybe she could have a minute's worth of peace.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Wally Lamb"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece-of-paper-then-maybe-she/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Blame"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece-of-paper-then-maybe-she/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/wally-lamb-1817_blame_if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece_1155917.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/wally-lamb-1817_blame_if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece_1155917.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/wally-lamb-1817_blame_if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece_1155917.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If I could just write it down in a piece of paper, then maybe she could get a decent night's sleep, eat a…” — Wally Lamb",
                "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": "Wally Lamb",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If I could just write it...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece-of-paper-then-maybe-she/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/if-i-could-just-write-it-down-in-a-piece-of-paper-then-maybe-she/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
