--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He smiles. it nearly breaks my heart. I…" description: "\"“He smiles. it nearly breaks my heart. I know that smile. It's a memory that's tainted, something that should have been happy but didn't turn out that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/h-m-ward-4188_quote_he-smiles-it-nearly-breaks-my-heart-i-kn_1013292.jpg" --- # He smiles. it nearly breaks my heart. I know that smile… ![“He smiles. it nearly breaks my heart. I know that smile. It's a memory that's tainted, something that should have been happy but didn't turn out that way.” quote by H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/h-m-ward-4188_quote_he-smiles-it-nearly-breaks-my-heart-i-kn_1013292.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/h-m-ward-4188_quote_he-smiles-it-nearly-breaks-my-heart-i-kn_1013292.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/h-m-ward-4188_quote_he-smiles-it-nearly-breaks-my-heart-i-kn_1013292.jpg) > ““He smiles. it nearly breaks my heart. I know that smile. It's a memory that's tainted, something that should have been happy but didn't turn out that way.”” [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A smile triggers a painful, bittersweet recollection of a love that never fulfilled its promise. **In simple terms:** A smile reminds of a sad, unfulfilled memory. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and process lingering sorrow. Themes memory heartbreak nostalgia Mood melancholy reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - lost love - triggering moments - personal reflection Key Concepts psychology of memory emotional conflict Questions to Reflect On - What does this memory teach you about healing? - Can you find peace with the past? A Different Perspective The smile may also hold hidden hope. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaks Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaks-heart/) [Memory Tainted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-tainted-919770/) [Smile Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-memory-588341/) [Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiles/) [Smiles Nearly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiles-nearly-2214939/) ## Related quotes > [“People don't practice their smiles nearly enough, so when they most need to look happy they're not fooling anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/people-don-t-practice-their-smiles-nearly-enough-so-when-they-most/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [My true memory has been tainted by old home videos of my sister and I, ages 3 and 5 respectively, singing karaoke to Britney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/my-true-memory-has-been-tainted-by-old-home-videos-of-my-sister-and-i/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [Your smile left a mark of love in me. That smile has a confession. That intoxicating glance. Your steer I ravish! The way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/your-smile-left-a-mark-of-love-in-me-that-smile-has-a-confession-that/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“He smiled at her as a man might smile at a memory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-smiled-at-her-as-a-man-might-smile-at-a-memory/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I’ll still be missing you as much as ever. I’l still smile at the memory of you. I’ll still be - Okay, I’ll say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/i-ll-still-be-missing-you-as-much-as-ever-i-l-still-smile-at-the/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [Love fills your heart and breaks your heart; it's so unpredictable, you don't know where it's going to come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-ball/love-fills-your-heart-and-breaks-your-heart-it-s-so-unpredictable-you/) [Zoe Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-ball/) > [ “\[...\] and every time she says the word, it breaks her heart into pieces that she has to pick up in her hands and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-denfeld/and-every-time-she-says-the-word-it-breaks-her-heart-into-pieces-that/) [Rene Denfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-denfeld/) > [“Because you are like that sky. Because I feel it so much that it breaks my heart…I love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuki-takaya/because-you-are-like-that-sky-because-i-feel-it-so-much-that-it/) [Natsuki Takaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuki-takaya/) > [Don't you know you're an angel who forgot how to fly. Don't you know that it breaks my heart every time I see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-you-know-you-re-an-angel-who-forgot-how-to-fly-don-t-you-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [She's got the kind of ethereal, unselfconscious beauty some young girls possess that breaks your heart. Or theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilsa-j-bick/she-s-got-the-kind-of-ethereal-unselfconscious-beauty-some-young/) [Ilsa J. Bick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilsa-j-bick/) > [It breaks my heart to think about a family weeping over the loss of a loved one. I understand the anguish that some feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/it-breaks-my-heart-to-think-about-a-family-weeping-over-the-loss-of-a/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [~because to him I was just another girl to me you were my boyfriend not just any other guy. honestly I cared about you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-broken/because-to-him-i-was-just-another-girl-to-me-you-were-my-boyfriend/) [She's\_broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/she-s-broken/) > [“There's a special place kept for the person who first breaks your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiromi-goto/there-s-a-special-place-kept-for-the-person-who-first-breaks-your/) [Hiromi Goto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiromi-goto/) > [Golf is like a love affair: if you don't take it seriously, it's no fun. If you do take it seriously, it breaks your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-daly/golf-is-like-a-love-affair-if-you-don-t-take-it-seriously-it-s-no-fun/) [Arnold Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-daly/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by H.M. Ward > [“What do I do now? I didn't think my heart could break any more than it already has. The pieces still inside of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/what-do-i-do-now-i-didn-t-think-my-heart-could-break-any-more-than-it/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“I've tired so hard to stay away from you, buy your soul is so powerful. It can't be ignored. It calls to me. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/i-ve-tired-so-hard-to-stay-away-from-you-buy-your-soul-is-so-powerful/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“I don't know what to say to fill the silence. I don't know how to fix this. It seems wrong to leave him, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/i-don-t-know-what-to-say-to-fill-the-silence-i-don-t-know-how-to-fix/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“When you find the right person, yeah—this is what it feels like." He takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself before taking my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/when-you-find-the-right-person-yeah-this-is-what-it-feels-like-he/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“What kind of married couple uses a pole on their wedding night?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/what-kind-of-married-couple-uses-a-pole-on-their-wedding-night/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“When you said you were giving her a ring, I wanted to make sure she didn't eat it by accident. Who puts a ring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/when-you-said-you-were-giving-her-a-ring-i-wanted-to-make-sure-she/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“You trusted me to do things that terrify you because it's what I needed. I can do the same for you. I can hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/you-trusted-me-to-do-things-that-terrify-you-because-it-s-what-i/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“I'd give up everything for him, but then what? He has no job, I have no money, and we both live in a box.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/i-d-give-up-everything-for-him-but-then-what-he-has-no-job-i-have-no/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“I just wished they'd see Mari, their daughter. I wished they saw how much I liked art and how much I didn't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/i-just-wished-they-d-see-mari-their-daughter-i-wished-they-saw-how/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“The future is always bright; it isn't until you get there that you realize it isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/the-future-is-always-bright-it-isn-t-until-you-get-there-that-you/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“His shirt is covered in my sorrow and stained with my tears.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/his-shirt-is-covered-in-my-sorrow-and-stained-with-my-tears/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“Go fuck a monkey, Ferro. I don't have time for you or your fake sincerity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/go-fuck-a-monkey-ferro-i-don-t-have-time-for-you-or-your-fake/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“I can't bullshit you. In all this time, you're the only person I can't fool. It's like you're bullshit-proof.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/i-can-t-bullshit-you-in-all-this-time-you-re-the-only-person-i-can-t/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“My mom thinks I'm the heroine in every book I write... so I'm a demon possessed, call girl, vampire killing, elfin college student who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/my-mom-thinks-i-m-the-heroine-in-every-book-i-write-so-i-m-a-demon/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“Don’t make me climb across this desk and slap you, because I will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/don-t-make-me-climb-across-this-desk-and-slap-you-because-i-will/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) [Explore all 114 H.M. Ward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) ## More Smiles quotes > [The nature cries and smiles with you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hottiedevil/the-nature-cries-and-smiles-with-you/) [HOttieDeviL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hottiedevil/) > [If somebody smiles at me on the street, I'm like, 'Hi, have a nice day!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/if-somebody-smiles-at-me-on-the-street-i-m-like-hi-have-a-nice-day/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [“Life smiles at you when you smile at the obstacles of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/life-smiles-at-you-when-you-smile-at-the-obstacles-of-life/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [And then he smiles, and in all the places around the globe where it's night, day breaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/and-then-he-smiles-and-in-all-the-places-around-the-globe-where-it-s/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [When a girl smiles dont assume she is okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-girl-smiles-dont-assume-she-is-okay/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So there's this guy and the way he smiles makes me smile, his voice makes my heart skip a beat and whenever I see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-there-s-this-guy-and-the-way-he-smiles-makes-me-smile-his-voice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You know, Dag and Claire smile a lot, as do many people I know. But I always wondered if there is something either mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-know-dag-and-claire-smile-a-lot-as-do-many-people-i-know-but-i/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Montana wants to scream, but the thing she is angry at is in the past. The past can’t hear her. This is the thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/montana-wants-to-scream-but-the-thing-she-is-angry-at-is-in-the-past/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [Focus on giving smiles away and you will always discover that your own smiles will always be in great supply!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/focus-on-giving-smiles-away-and-you-will-always-discover-that-your/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“When he smiles, they mostly look away. But Martin likes to think they carry his smile for a few blocks – that even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/when-he-smiles-they-mostly-look-away-but-martin-likes-to-think-they/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [We are here to entertain and ultimately put smiles on people's faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinder-mahal/we-are-here-to-entertain-and-ultimately-put-smiles-on-people-s-faces/) [Jinder Mahal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinder-mahal/) > [“One who smiles rather than angers is always stronger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schary/one-who-smiles-rather-than-angers-is-always-stronger/) [David Schary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schary/) > [Sometimes people have to cry out the tears To make room for a heart full of smiles….](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uknown/sometimes-people-have-to-cry-out-the-tears-to-make-room-for-a-heart/) [Uknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uknown/) > [Its important to make fake smiles, not for the world that you are ok BUT to confuse your heart that with so mny wounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-important-to-make-fake-smiles-not-for-the-world-that-you-are-ok/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He smiles a lot. But I think there might be worms inside him making him smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-smiles-a-lot-but-i-think-there-might-be-worms-inside-him-making/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) [Browse all 610 Smiles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He smiles. it nearly breaks my heart. I know that smile. It's a memory that's tainted, something that should have been happy but didn't turn out that way.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H.M. 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