--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Writing about themselves] gives them…" description: "\"“[Writing about themselves] gives them wings, so that they can rise above the confounding maze of their lives and, from that perspective, begin to see ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/wally-lamb-1817_dead-end_writing-about-themselves-gives-them-wing_1921724.jpg" --- # \[Writing about themselves\] gives them wings, so that they… ![“[Writing about themselves] gives them wings, so that they can rise above the confounding maze of their lives and, from that perspective, begin to see the patterns and dead ends of their pasts, and a way out. That's the funny thing about mazes; what's baffling on the ground begins to make sense…” quote by Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/wally-lamb-1817_dead-end_writing-about-themselves-gives-them-wing_1921724.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/wally-lamb-1817_dead-end_writing-about-themselves-gives-them-wing_1921724.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/wally-lamb-1817_dead-end_writing-about-themselves-gives-them-wing_1921724.jpg) > ““\[Writing about themselves\] gives them wings, so that they can rise above the confounding maze of their lives and, from that perspective, begin to see the patterns and dead ends of their pasts, and a way out. That's the funny thing about mazes; what's baffling on the ground begins to make sense when you can begin to rise above it, the better to understand your history and fix yourself.”” [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 gives people a higher perspective, allowing them to see patterns and dead ends in their lives, turning confusing experiences into understandable narratives that help them heal. **In simple terms:** Writing offers a higher view to understand and heal past patterns. Key Takeaway Write to gain perspective and heal. Themes self‑reflection healing storytelling clarity growth Mood hopeful introspective Type therapeutic inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - journaling - creative writing workshops - personal crises Key Concepts narrative therapy self‑awareness pattern recognition Questions to Reflect On - How does distance change your view of past events? - What stories help you see hidden patterns? A Different Perspective Writing may not replace professional help for deep trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dead end](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-end/) [Fix Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fix-yourself/) [Inspirational life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-life/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“that's the funny thing about mazes: what's baffling on the ground begins to makes sense when you can begin to rise above it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/that-s-the-funny-thing-about-mazes-what-s-baffling-on-the-ground/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [I did have a thing for mazes. When I was a kid, I remember drawing little mazes constantly and puzzles. I loved that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-rainbow/i-did-have-a-thing-for-mazes-when-i-was-a-kid-i-remember-drawing/) [Randy Rainbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-rainbow/) > [. All strength, all courage lies within us; nothing can hold us back for too long. Slowly but surely we will build our wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/all-strength-all-courage-lies-within-us-nothing-can-hold-us-back-for/) Senoraroy > [On my back, I have the cross and angel wings: rise above it, no matter what life throws at you. And also, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/on-my-back-i-have-the-cross-and-angel-wings-rise-above-it-no-matter/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Take a breath, take your time, spread your wings and rise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/counting-crows/take-a-breath-take-your-time-spread-your-wings-and-rise/) [Counting Crows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/counting-crows/) > [Good writing gives energy, whatever it is about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/good-writing-gives-energy-whatever-it-is-about/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [If something in your writing gives support to people in their lives, that's more than just entertainment-which is what we writers all struggle to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/if-something-in-your-writing-gives-support-to-people-in-their-lives-2/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [If something in your writing gives support to people in their lives, that’s more than just entertainment-w hich is what we writers all struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/if-something-in-your-writing-gives-support-to-people-in-their-lives/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [I think writing gives me creative freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marley-dias/i-think-writing-gives-me-creative-freedom/) [Marley Dias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marley-dias/) > [Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it's just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/writing-gives-you-the-illusion-of-control-and-then-you-realize-it-s/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Writing gives me the license to go, explore, and learn about the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/writing-gives-me-the-license-to-go-explore-and-learn-about-the-world/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [Writing gives me the opportunity to explore ideas, play with language, solve problems, use my imagination, and draw on my own childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-prelutsky/writing-gives-me-the-opportunity-to-explore-ideas-play-with-language/) [Jack Prelutsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-prelutsky/) > [“I love being able to create characters, give them problems, and make sure everything turns out right in the end. Writing gives me limitless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-adams/i-love-being-able-to-create-characters-give-them-problems-and-make/) Jennie Adams > [“Fit yourself where you are before you fix yourself where you can be!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/fit-yourself-where-you-are-before-you-fix-yourself-where-you-can-be/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“There are points in your life where you find yourself going nowhere reaching nowhere, standing nowhere. You feel yourself a mess occupied in nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aquib-ali/there-are-points-in-your-life-where-you-find-yourself-going-nowhere/) [Aquib Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aquib-ali/) ## 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 Dead end quotes > [“Dead-end roads don't mean you've come to your end, just means you need to take a different detour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/dead-end-roads-don-t-mean-you-ve-come-to-your-end-just-means-you-need/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Without a destination in mind, every road will be a dead end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhiess-krieg/without-a-destination-in-mind-every-road-will-be-a-dead-end/) [Jhiess Krieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhiess-krieg/) > [As the rain falls and the sun shines, they grow, grow, grow; minds so open, they go through life aware and accepting, seeing light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/as-the-rain-falls-and-the-sun-shines-they-grow-grow-grow-minds-so/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [“To this day I believe a person’s ideal first job is the one that reveals the most about them. Knowing who I was helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/to-this-day-i-believe-a-person-s-ideal-first-job-is-the-one-that/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“I could not disagree more,” said Ganesh, my father giving me a hidden wink. “If we build toward them they’ll see it as hostile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-carman/i-could-not-disagree-more-said-ganesh-my-father-giving-me-a-hidden/) [Patrick Carman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-carman/) > [An ordinary mistake is one that leads to a dead end, while a profound mistake is one that leads to progress. Anyone can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-wilczek/an-ordinary-mistake-is-one-that-leads-to-a-dead-end-while-a-profound/) [Frank Wilczek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-wilczek/) > [When you reach a CERTAIN point in your life you REALIZE that you want MORE than one night stands, booty-calls, dead end relationships, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ephrem-hardin/when-you-reach-a-certain-point-in-your-life-you-realize-that-you-want/) [Ephrem Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ephrem-hardin/) > [I usually only get a blunt trim. No layers, nothing special, just the dead ends cut off very, very bluntly. For me, that feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-port/i-usually-only-get-a-blunt-trim-no-layers-nothing-special-just-the/) [Whitney Port](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-port/) > [“Like writing, publishing is not easy. No endeavor worth pursuing is. Discomfort and fear are easy outs—and ultimately dead ends. They are responses to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rossandra-white/like-writing-publishing-is-not-easy-no-endeavor-worth-pursuing-is/) Rossandra White > [Of course it hurt that we could never love each other in a physical way. We would have been far more happy if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/of-course-it-hurt-that-we-could-never-love-each-other-in-a-physical/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“You're a maze, all high edges and endless loops. I can't find a way out, can't see where I've been. It's all running, lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-demetrios/you-re-a-maze-all-high-edges-and-endless-loops-i-can-t-find-a-way-out/) [Heather Demetrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-demetrios/) > [Just because you’ve come to a dead end, it’s not time to give up. Find a different route and keep pressing forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/just-because-you-ve-come-to-a-dead-end-it-s-not-time-to-give-up-find/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Africa is being raped mainly by Asia, but the second largest market for dead endangered animals is the US. Most don't know this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-bauer-van-straten/africa-is-being-raped-mainly-by-asia-but-the-second-largest-market/) [Kristin Bauer van Straten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-bauer-van-straten/) > [Sometimes talking to a person does not work,they still going to do what they wanna do,until the dead end road,caught them by surprise...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/sometimes-talking-to-a-person-does-not-work-they-still-going-to-do/) FrenchQueen > [We didn't go down that road for nothing! We had to try but when all said and done tat road was a DEAD END.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/we-didn-t-go-down-that-road-for-nothing-we-had-to-try-but-when-all/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) [Browse all 319 Dead end quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-end/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“[Writing about themselves] gives them wings, so that they can rise above the confounding maze of their lives and, from that perspective, begin to see the patterns and dead ends of their pasts, and a way out. 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