--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ghosts are not always those who pass…" description: "\"“Ghosts are not always those who pass through closed doors,” said Mary Rommely. “Katie has told how her husband used to talk to this saloon man. In all..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/betty-smith-1012_closed-door_ghosts-are-not-always-those-who-pass-thr_2081378.png" --- # Ghosts are not always those who pass through closed… ![“Ghosts are not always those who pass through closed doors,” said Mary Rommely. “Katie has told how her husband used to talk to this saloon man. In all those years of the talking, Yohnny gave away pieces of himself to this man. When Katie called on her man for help, the pieces of him came together…” quote by Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/betty-smith-1012_closed-door_ghosts-are-not-always-those-who-pass-thr_2081378.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/betty-smith-1012_closed-door_ghosts-are-not-always-those-who-pass-thr_2081378.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/betty-smith-1012_closed-door_ghosts-are-not-always-those-who-pass-thr_2081378.png) > ““Ghosts are not always those who pass through closed doors,” said Mary Rommely. “Katie has told how her husband used to talk to this saloon man. In all those years of the talking, Yohnny gave away pieces of himself to this man. When Katie called on her man for help, the pieces of him came together in this man, and it was Yohnny within the saloon man’s soul that heard and came to her help.”” [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) ## 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 suggests that a person’s essence can be shared and reassembled through deep connections, allowing another to act on their behalf. **In simple terms:** People can give parts of themselves to others, who then help them. Key Takeaway Seek deep, reciprocal relationships. Themes connection identity help spirituality Mood reflective hopeful Type narrative philosophical When to use this quote - family support - friendship - mentorship - spiritual guidance Key Concepts self‑sacrifice interdependence transcendence Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when you’ve given a part of yourself to another? - Can you identify moments when someone else embodies your inner strength? A Different Perspective The metaphor may be too abstract for practical application. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Closed door](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closed-door/) [Closed doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closed-doors/) [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Ghosts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghosts/) [Saloon Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saloon-man-4065893/) [Talking Yohnny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-yohnny-4065891/) [Yohnny Saloon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yohnny-saloon-4065892/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing attracts me like a closed door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-bourke-white/nothing-attracts-me-like-a-closed-door/) [Margaret Bourke-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-bourke-white/) > [Fighting behind closed doors is like going back to be an amateur, or your early days as a professional. Up and coming fighters can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dereck-chisora/fighting-behind-closed-doors-is-like-going-back-to-be-an-amateur-or/) [Dereck Chisora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dereck-chisora/) > [If Im not good enough to be taken out in public. Im too good for you behind closed doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-im-not-good-enough-to-be-taken-out-in-public-im-too-good-for-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes we feel all doors are closed in our life. But, all the closed doors may not be locked, they may be waiting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-feel-all-doors-are-closed-in-our-life-but-all-the-closed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If anything should take place behind closed doors, it was cruelty and betrayal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-st-aubyn/if-anything-should-take-place-behind-closed-doors-it-was-cruelty-and/) [Edward St. Aubyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-st-aubyn/) > [I always wanted a father. Any kind. A strict one, a funny one, one who bought me pink dresses, one who wished I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blundell/i-always-wanted-a-father-any-kind-a-strict-one-a-funny-one-one-who/) [Judy Blundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blundell/) > [Another train will come. Why rush? Why worry? Why go crazy? Another train will come. And sure enough, another train going my way was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esmeralda-santiago/another-train-will-come-why-rush-why-worry-why-go-crazy-another-train/) [Esmeralda Santiago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esmeralda-santiago/) > [What you don't know is when she get home and get behind closed doors, man she hit the floor and what you can't see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mary/what-you-don-t-know-is-when-she-get-home-and-get-behind-closed-doors/) [Mary Mary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mary/) > [That is the most important thing to me, what happens behind the closed doors in the studio and makes me an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/that-is-the-most-important-thing-to-me-what-happens-behind-the-closed/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [It is one of life's laws that as soon as one door closes another opens. 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They want good government that begins at their doorstep in the barangay, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/the-people-want-government-that-works-for-them-at-every-level-they/) [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/) > [Others like City Hall the old way, when they could make deals behind closed doors with your tax money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/others-like-city-hall-the-old-way-when-they-could-make-deals-behind/) [Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/) > [“It’s amazing how people can change behind closed doors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/it-s-amazing-how-people-can-change-behind-closed-doors/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [Sometimes we feel all doors are closed in our life. But all the closed doors may not be locked. They may be waiting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldyna-threesya/sometimes-we-feel-all-doors-are-closed-in-our-life-but-all-the-closed-2/) [Aldyna Threesya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldyna-threesya/) ## More by Betty Smith > [“Yes, when I get big and have my own home, no plush chairs and lace curtains for me. And no rubber plants. I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/yes-when-i-get-big-and-have-my-own-home-no-plush-chairs-and-lace/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“Several times that day, the name or thought of Papa had come up. And each time, Francie had felt a flash of tenderness instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/several-times-that-day-the-name-or-thought-of-papa-had-come-up-and/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [As long as one can suffer, one is living…live and suffer until life is gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/as-long-as-one-can-suffer-one-is-living-live-and-suffer-until-life-is/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“Sissy told them they were way behind the times; that midwives were things of the past. Besides, she informed them proudly, she had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/sissy-told-them-they-were-way-behind-the-times-that-midwives-were/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“Why, Mrs McGarrity's all right. Mr McGarrity's all right, too. 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It gets no sun, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/who-wants-to-die-everything-struggles-to-live-look-at-that-tree/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [It takes a lot of doing to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/it-takes-a-lot-of-doing-to-die/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“She sat in the sunshine watching the life on the street and guarding within herself, her own mystery of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/she-sat-in-the-sunshine-watching-the-life-on-the-street-and-guarding/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [...the reading, the observing, the living from day to day. It was something that had been born into her and her only - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/the-reading-the-observing-the-living-from-day-to-day-it-was-something/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [People always think that happiness is a faraway thing … something complicated and hard to get. Yet, what little things can make it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/people-always-think-that-happiness-is-a-faraway-thing-something/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“Hildy O’Dair is old for her age,” she thought. “It’s like powder was sprinkled on her yellow hair. But she’s not much older than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/hildy-o-dair-is-old-for-her-age-she-thought-it-s-like-powder-was/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“One day they’re babies in buggies and the next day they’re in here taking picks. Kids grow up quick in this neighborhood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/one-day-they-re-babies-in-buggies-and-the-next-day-they-re-in-here/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“If she never had any lovers, she kicks herself around when the change comes, thinking of all the fun she could have had, didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/if-she-never-had-any-lovers-she-kicks-herself-around-when-the-change/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) [Explore all 306 Betty Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) ## More Closed door quotes > [Nothing attracts me like a closed door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-bourke-white/nothing-attracts-me-like-a-closed-door/) [Margaret Bourke-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-bourke-white/) > [“Eventually, Edgard said, “She doesn’t know anything about me. Not even that we were roping partners. 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Standing against the lurid sky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-brown/girl-in-the-wind-blowing-wide-open-the-closed-doors-of-my-life-which/) [Christy Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-brown/) > [Others like City Hall the old way, when they could make deals behind closed doors with your tax money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/others-like-city-hall-the-old-way-when-they-could-make-deals-behind/) [Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/) > [The people want government that works for them at every level. 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