--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's when it struck me that I can't…" description: "\"“That's when it struck me that I can't take my life as long as I can still laugh.”\" — David Sheff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/david-sheff-7087_comedy_that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-ta_811394.jpg" --- # That's when it struck me that I can't take my life as long… ![“That's when it struck me that I can't take my life as long as I can still laugh.” quote by David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/david-sheff-7087_comedy_that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-ta_811394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/david-sheff-7087_comedy_that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-ta_811394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/david-sheff-7087_comedy_that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-ta_811394.jpg) > ““That's when it struck me that I can't take my life as long as I can still laugh.”” [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing that laughter is essential for enduring life highlights the importance of joy as a coping mechanism during hardships. **In simple terms:** Laughter sustains life through hardship. Key Takeaway Cherish humor. Themes resilience joy life purpose Mood reflective uplifting Type advice personal When to use this quote - illness - grief - daily stress Key Concepts psychology of humor coping strategies Questions to Reflect On - What brings you genuine laughter? - How can you integrate humor into tough times? A Different Perspective Laughter alone may not solve deep problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“And then it struck her that life was sometimes so beautiful that it didn't seem like life at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-p-rez-reverte/and-then-it-struck-her-that-life-was-sometimes-so-beautiful-that-it/) [Arturo Pérez-Reverte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-p-rez-reverte/) > [And I was struck all at once how life was out there going through its regular courses, and I was suspended, waiting, caught in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/and-i-was-struck-all-at-once-how-life-was-out-there-going-through-its/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [So long as I can laugh, never will I be poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/so-long-as-i-can-laugh-never-will-i-be-poor/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I will laugh at the world! Never will I allow myself to become so important, so wise, so dignified, so powerful, that I forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-laugh-at-the-world-never-will-i-allow-myself-to-become-so/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [It dawned on me then that as long as I could laugh, I was safe from the world; and I have learned since that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/it-dawned-on-me-then-that-as-long-as-i-could-laugh-i-was-safe-from/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [The fine line that you do when you do political comedy is, as long as you have that laugh, you're fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/the-fine-line-that-you-do-when-you-do-political-comedy-is-as-long-as/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [Cry not too long, Laugh not too loud. just smile .. it's between cry and laugh no one knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norma-marthalia/cry-not-too-long-laugh-not-too-loud-just-smile-it-s-between-cry-and/) [Norma Marthalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norma-marthalia/) > [Life is worth living as long as there's a laugh in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/life-is-worth-living-as-long-as-there-s-a-laugh-in-it/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [I'm a big believer in, no matter what you go through in life, as long as you can laugh your way through it, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-milano/i-m-a-big-believer-in-no-matter-what-you-go-through-in-life-as-long/) [Alyssa Milano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-milano/) > [As long as you can laugh, you are not old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vassilieva/as-long-as-you-can-laugh-you-are-not-old/) [Sofia Vassilieva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vassilieva/) > [As long as you can laugh at you, it won't bother you when others laugh at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/as-long-as-you-can-laugh-at-you-it-won-t-bother-you-when-others-laugh/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“And so long as I can laugh never will I be poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/and-so-long-as-i-can-laugh-never-will-i-be-poor/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [As long as you can laugh at yourself you will never cease to be amused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/as-long-as-you-can-laugh-at-yourself-you-will-never-cease-to-be-amused/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [And so long as I can laugh, never will I be poor. This then, is one of nature's greatest gifts and I will waste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/and-so-long-as-i-can-laugh-never-will-i-be-poor-this-then-is-one-of/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [“Life is worth living as long as there's a laugh in it.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/life-is-worth-living-as-long-as-there-s-a-laugh-in-it-l-m-montgomery/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) ## More by David Sheff > [I was ashamed. My son is a drug addict. What does this mean about me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/i-was-ashamed-my-son-is-a-drug-addict-what-does-this-mean-about-me/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Elvis Presley's music said, 'Free your body.' The Beatles said, 'Free your mind.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/elvis-presley-s-music-said-free-your-body-the-beatles-said-free-your/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Well, addiction does start with a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/well-addiction-does-start-with-a-choice/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Some parents want to be popular, but that's not their job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/some-parents-want-to-be-popular-but-that-s-not-their-job/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [The war on drugs is a joke. We spend $40 billion a year, and the proof that it's a failure is that any kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/the-war-on-drugs-is-a-joke-we-spend-40-billion-a-year-and-the-proof/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [When I was a child, my parents didn't know anything about drugs. They didn't even drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/when-i-was-a-child-my-parents-didn-t-know-anything-about-drugs-they/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Nick's mother and I were attentive, probably overly attentive - part of the first wave of parents obsessed with our children in a self-conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/nick-s-mother-and-i-were-attentive-probably-overly-attentive-part-of/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Having been hit by drug addiction, knowing how many are hit by it and what a big problem it is in our neighborhoods and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/having-been-hit-by-drug-addiction-knowing-how-many-are-hit-by-it-and/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Here's a note to the parents of addicted children: Choose your music carefully...There are millions of treacherous moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/here-s-a-note-to-the-parents-of-addicted-children-choose-your-music/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [This stigma associated with drug use--the belief that bad kids use, good kids don't, and those with full-blown addiction are weak, dissolute, and pathetic--has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/this-stigma-associated-with-drug-use-the-belief-that-bad-kids-use/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [It's hard to find someone who did as many drugs for as long and in such dangerous combinations as Nic - spending years going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/it-s-hard-to-find-someone-who-did-as-many-drugs-for-as-long-and-in/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [I chose a rehab center for Nic that was recommended by a friend who had sent her son there. The program lasted 28 days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/i-chose-a-rehab-center-for-nic-that-was-recommended-by-a-friend-who/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [“In his suicide note, Kurt Cobain wrote, "It's better to burn out than to fade away." He was quoting a Neil Young song about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/in-his-suicide-note-kurt-cobain-wrote-it-s-better-to-burn-out-than-to/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Anyone who has lived through it, or those who are now living through it, knows that caring about an addict is as complex and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/anyone-who-has-lived-through-it-or-those-who-are-now-living-through/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [If a child had another disease, we'd be open about what we were going through, but addiction is stigmatised and comes with shame and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/if-a-child-had-another-disease-we-d-be-open-about-what-we-were-going/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) [Explore all 95 David Sheff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That's when it struck me that I can't take my life as long as I can still laugh.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Sheff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-take-my-life-as-long-as-i-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-take-my-life-as-long-as-i-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/david-sheff-7087_comedy_that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-ta_811394.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/david-sheff-7087_comedy_that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-ta_811394.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/david-sheff-7087_comedy_that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-ta_811394.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's when it struck me that I can't take my life as long as I can still laugh.” — David Sheff", "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": "David Sheff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That's when it struck me that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-take-my-life-as-long-as-i-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/that-s-when-it-struck-me-that-i-can-t-take-my-life-as-long-as-i-can/#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 } } ] } ```