--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any man worth his salt has by the time he…" description: "\"Any man worth his salt has by the time he is forty-five accumulated a crown of thorns, and the problem is to learn to wear it over one ear.\" — Christop..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/christopher-morley-2772_crown_any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-h_1120669.png" --- # Any man worth his salt has by the time he is forty-five… ![“Any man worth his salt has by the time he is forty-five accumulated a crown of thorns, and the problem is to learn to wear it over one ear.” quote by Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/christopher-morley-2772_crown_any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-h_1120669.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/christopher-morley-2772_crown_any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-h_1120669.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/christopher-morley-2772_crown_any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-h_1120669.png) > “Any man worth his salt has by the time he is forty-five accumulated a crown of thorns, and the problem is to learn to wear it over one ear.” [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. By middle age, a man carries burdens symbolized by a crown of thorns, learning to accept them lightly. **In simple terms:** Midlife brings hardships; learn to bear them with ease. Key Takeaway Accept life's challenges with humor. Themes midlife burdens humor acceptance Mood thoughtful hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - career transitions - family responsibilities - health issues - personal growth Key Concepts symbolism resilience self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - What “crown of thorns” do you carry? - How can humor help in difficult times? A Different Perspective Not all hardships can be taken lightly; some require serious attention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crown/) [Crown of thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crown-of-thorns/) [Hardship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardship/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Entering politics would be like donning a crown of thorns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/entering-politics-would-be-like-donning-a-crown-of-thorns/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [“Truth wears a crown of thorns”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-maria-faustina-kowalska/truth-wears-a-crown-of-thorns/) Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska > [How could I bear a crown of gold when the Lord bears a crown of thorns? And bears it for me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-of-hungary/how-could-i-bear-a-crown-of-gold-when-the-lord-bears-a-crown-of/) Elizabeth of Hungary > [The strong hands of God twisted the crown of thorns into a crown of glory; and in such hands we are safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-williams/the-strong-hands-of-god-twisted-the-crown-of-thorns-into-a-crown-of/) [Charles Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-williams/) > [The path of those who preach love, and not hatred, is not easy. They often have to wear a crown of thorns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-path-of-those-who-preach-love-and-not-hatred-is-not-easy-they/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Every noble crown is, and on Earth will forever be, a crown of thorns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/every-noble-crown-is-and-on-earth-will-forever-be-a-crown-of-thorns/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Damn it all you can't have the crown of thorns and the thirty pieces of silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/damn-it-all-you-can-t-have-the-crown-of-thorns-and-the-thirty-pieces/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [“Some of the most beautiful things worth having in your life come wrapped in a crown of thorns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/some-of-the-most-beautiful-things-worth-having-in-your-life-come/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [They gave our Master a crown of thorns, why do we hope for a crown of roses?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/they-gave-our-master-a-crown-of-thorns-why-do-we-hope-for-a-crown-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“His work is as it were, a sacred object and the true fruit of his life, and his aim in storing it away for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhaur/his-work-is-as-it-were-a-sacred-object-and-the-true-fruit-of-his-life/) [Arthur Schopenhaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhaur/) > [“A crown of thorns. Do not underestimate the significance of this crown of thorns. This was not simply a way to inflict pain, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-anderson/a-crown-of-thorns-do-not-underestimate-the-significance-of-this-crown/) [Hannah Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-anderson/) > [To wear the crown of peace, you must wear the crown of thorns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/to-wear-the-crown-of-peace-you-must-wear-the-crown-of-thorns/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [“Before you wear a crown of gold, life sometimes makes you wear a crown of thorns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/before-you-wear-a-crown-of-gold-life-sometimes-makes-you-wear-a-crown/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [If old age means a crown of thorns, the trick is to wear it jauntily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/if-old-age-means-a-crown-of-thorns-the-trick-is-to-wear-it-jauntily/) [Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/) > [A crown of roses is also a crown of thorns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-crown-of-roses-is-also-a-crown-of-thorns/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## More by Christopher Morley > [Beware of the conversationalist who adds "in other words." He is merely starting afresh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/beware-of-the-conversationalist-who-adds-in-other-words-he-is-merely/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [That's what this country needs -- more books!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/that-s-what-this-country-needs-more-books/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [Between ourselves, there is no such thing, abstractly, as a 'good' book. A book is 'good' only when it meets some human hunger or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/between-ourselves-there-is-no-such-thing-abstractly-as-a-good-book-a/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [All cities are mad: but the madness is gallant. All cities are beautiful: but the beauty is grim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/all-cities-are-mad-but-the-madness-is-gallant-all-cities-are/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [People like to imagine that because all our mechanical equipment moves so much faster, that we are thinking faster, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/people-like-to-imagine-that-because-all-our-mechanical-equipment/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [“There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning, and yearning. A man should be learning as he goes; and he should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/there-are-three-ingredients-in-the-good-life-learning-earning-and/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [A critic is a gong at a railroad crossing clanging loudly and vainly as the train goes by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/a-critic-is-a-gong-at-a-railroad-crossing-clanging-loudly-and-vainly/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [Friendships do not grow up in any carefully tended and contemplated fashion… They begin haphazard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/friendships-do-not-grow-up-in-any-carefully-tended-and-contemplated/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [The real purpose of books is to trap the mind into doing its own thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-real-purpose-of-books-is-to-trap-the-mind-into-doing-its-own/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-minutes-left-to-say-all-that/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [The censure of a dog is something no man can stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-censure-of-a-dog-is-something-no-man-can-stand/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [High heels were invented by a woman who had been kissed on the forehead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/high-heels-were-invented-by-a-woman-who-had-been-kissed-on-the/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [The courage of the poet is to keep ajar the door that leads into madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-courage-of-the-poet-is-to-keep-ajar-the-door-that-leads-into/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [“Calling us men doesn't make us men. No creature on earth has a right to think himself a human being if he doesn't know at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/calling-us-men-doesn-t-make-us-men-no-creature-on-earth-has-a-right/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [A human being: an ingenious assembly of portable plumbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/a-human-being-an-ingenious-assembly-of-portable-plumbing/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) [Explore all 150 Christopher Morley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) ## More Crown quotes > [I'm not being presumptuous, I hope, when I say that 'The Crown' is little bit like 'The Godfather.' It is essentially about a family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-being-presumptuous-i-hope-when-i-say-that-the-crown-is-little/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [My crown is in my heart, not on my head; not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, nor to be seen: my crown is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-crown-is-in-my-heart-not-on-my-head-not-decked-with-diamonds-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [What I love most about Her Majesty is that she has kept hats alive in people's minds for more than 60 years. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/what-i-love-most-about-her-majesty-is-that-she-has-kept-hats-alive-in/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [“Old people deserves a medal, a medal of existence which crowns their long-term victory against the cruelty of time and the dangers of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/old-people-deserves-a-medal-a-medal-of-existence-which-crowns-their/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Melbourne is where the Crown story started. It's a testament to the vision and work of Lloyd Williams and Jeff Kennett - our resort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/melbourne-is-where-the-crown-story-started-it-s-a-testament-to-the/) [James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/) > [“Who in the universe halts when the enemy tells them to?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/who-in-the-universe-halts-when-the-enemy-tells-them-to/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [I've been passionate about fitness my entire life, and the ability to compete for the 'Tough Enough' crown is truly rewarding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-ve-been-passionate-about-fitness-my-entire-life-and-the-ability-to/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/in-a-government-like-ours-the-crown-is-the-abiding-and-unshakable/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [The influence of the Crown has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dunning/the-influence-of-the-crown-has-increased-is-increasing-and-ought-to/) [John Dunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dunning/) > [I don't think of the crown as this glamorous thing. It's this murderous, bejeweled thing, the crown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-don-t-think-of-the-crown-as-this-glamorous-thing-it-s-this/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [Have I given any symptoms of an avaricious disposition? Have I obtained any grants from the crown since I have been placed at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walpole/have-i-given-any-symptoms-of-an-avaricious-disposition-have-i/) [Robert Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walpole/) > [“From: The Crown of Telus She opened her eyes, saw the crown sitting on her bedside table, and wished that it was all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-laws/from-the-crown-of-telus-she-opened-her-eyes-saw-the-crown-sitting-on/) William Laws > [“Her hair falls loose in a cascade of black curls, caught in a crown of magenta bougainvillea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/her-hair-falls-loose-in-a-cascade-of-black-curls-caught-in-a-crown-of/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [I am passionate about design - I always say that I want to have a hotel, called the Chlotel, full of beautiful plush rugs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-am-passionate-about-design-i-always-say-that-i-want-to-have-a-hotel/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [In 2002 we went into the first World Cup in Asia as reigning champions and we had also added the European crown in 2000,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/in-2002-we-went-into-the-first-world-cup-in-asia-as-reigning/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) [Browse all 308 Crown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crown/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any man worth his salt has by the time he is forty-five accumulated a crown of thorns, and the problem is to learn to wear it over one ear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Morley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-he-is-forty-five-accumulated-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crown" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-he-is-forty-five-accumulated-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/christopher-morley-2772_crown_any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-h_1120669.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/christopher-morley-2772_crown_any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-h_1120669.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/christopher-morley-2772_crown_any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-h_1120669.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Any man worth his salt has by the time he is forty-five accumulated a crown of thorns, and the problem is to…” — Christopher Morley", "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": "Christopher Morley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Any man worth his salt has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-he-is-forty-five-accumulated-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/any-man-worth-his-salt-has-by-the-time-he-is-forty-five-accumulated-a/#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 } } ] } ```