--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know which is more telling about…" description: "\"“I don't know which is more telling about a soul, their laughter or their tears. I suspect the latter, but hope for the former,”\" — Karen Hawkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/karen-hawkins-1678_hope_i-don-t-know-which-is-more-telling-about_1007347.png" --- # I don't know which is more telling about a soul, their… ![“I don't know which is more telling about a soul, their laughter or their tears. I suspect the latter, but hope for the former,” quote by Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/karen-hawkins-1678_hope_i-don-t-know-which-is-more-telling-about_1007347.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/karen-hawkins-1678_hope_i-don-t-know-which-is-more-telling-about_1007347.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64b/karen-hawkins-1678_hope_i-don-t-know-which-is-more-telling-about_1007347.png) > ““I don't know which is more telling about a soul, their laughter or their tears. I suspect the latter, but hope for the former,”” [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We cannot fully know a soul; laughter may mask pain, but tears reveal deeper truth. **In simple terms:** Tears often show true feelings more than laughter. Key Takeaway Pay attention to both joy and sorrow to understand others. Themes empathy emotion human nature Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - counseling sessions - personal relationships - artistic interpretation Key Concepts vulnerability expression psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does a person's laughter hide? - When do tears convey more honesty than words? A Different Perspective Laughter can be a defense, hiding deeper sorrow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) ## Related quotes > [“So much for deceit, for accepting blame. So much for never telling a soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/so-much-for-deceit-for-accepting-blame-so-much-for-never-telling-a/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [You are a sweet man." -"God, there it is." He flopped back on the bed, as if shot through the heart. "Repeat that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/you-are-a-sweet-man-god-there-it-is-he-flopped-back-on-the-bed-as-if/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [There is a kind of laughter that sickens the soul. Laughter when it is out of control: when it screams and stamps its feet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/there-is-a-kind-of-laughter-that-sickens-the-soul-laughter-when-it-is/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [To one degree or another, everybody is connected to the Mystery, and everybody secretly yearns to expand the connection. That requires expanding the soul.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/to-one-degree-or-another-everybody-is-connected-to-the-mystery-and/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Laughter is wine for the soul - laughter soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness - the hilarious declaration made by man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/laughter-is-wine-for-the-soul-laughter-soft-or-loud-and-deep-tinged/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) > [What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-borge/what-soap-is-to-the-body-laughter-is-to-the-soul-laughter-is-the/) [Victor Borge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-borge/) > [“Laughter and tears are not separate experiences, with intervals of rest: they rush out together and it is like walking with a sword between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/laughter-and-tears-are-not-separate-experiences-with-intervals-of/) [Anaïs Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Laughter is more serious than tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/laughter-is-more-serious-than-tears/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Cleanse Yourself With Laughter And Tears. Let The Tears Take Out All The Agony That Is Hidden Inside You And Let Laughter Ignite your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/cleanse-yourself-with-laughter-and-tears-let-the-tears-take-out-all/) Pacifiersucker > [Laughter and tears may not persuade, but they cannot be refuted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/laughter-and-tears-may-not-persuade-but-they-cannot-be-refuted/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Laughs are exactly as honorable as tears. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion, to the futility of thinking and striving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/laughs-are-exactly-as-honorable-as-tears-laughter-and-tears-are-both/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [When it comes to death, we know that laughter and tears are pretty much the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/when-it-comes-to-death-we-know-that-laughter-and-tears-are-pretty/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Since the day you were born i woke up smiling every morn to pick you up , play with you and sometimes fall asleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daneillia/since-the-day-you-were-born-i-woke-up-smiling-every-morn-to-pick-you/) [Daneillia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daneillia/) > [It is better to write of laughter than of tears, for laughter is the property of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/it-is-better-to-write-of-laughter-than-of-tears-for-laughter-is-the/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Life is a blend of laughter and tears, a combination of rain and sunshine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/life-is-a-blend-of-laughter-and-tears-a-combination-of-rain-and/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) ## More by Karen Hawkins > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Nonsense. One day, the right man will come along, and you’ll change your mind.” Harriet wasn’t so sure. In all her twenty-four years, she’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/nonsense-one-day-the-right-man-will-come-along-and-you-ll-change-your/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Life was a hard teacher, but a thorough one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/life-was-a-hard-teacher-but-a-thorough-one/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“I invited Miss MacFarlane because I could see that there was something between the two of you." "Something that I longed to avoid." Fiona…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-invited-miss-macfarlane-because-i-could-see-that-there-was/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“In order to understand something really and truly well, you must know where it came from. There is no other way to appreciate its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/in-order-to-understand-something-really-and-truly-well-you-must-know/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Did you bring money with you, or shall we play for markers?" She flipped the stack of cards to the table with a professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/did-you-bring-money-with-you-or-shall-we-play-for-markers-she-flipped/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“I wish we hadn’t kissed at all,” he snapped. “So do I, but we can’t unkiss, so we must deal with it as best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-wish-we-hadn-t-kissed-at-all-he-snapped-so-do-i-but-we-can-t-unkiss/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Women never dress without thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/women-never-dress-without-thought/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“It near broke my heart to treat such a good piece of meat in such a way." "Aye," Red said with feeling. "I watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/it-near-broke-my-heart-to-treat-such-a-good-piece-of-meat-in-such-a/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“It is not enough to simply remove temptation. We must beat it away, burn it, suppress it, combat it with as much ruthless intent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/it-is-not-enough-to-simply-remove-temptation-we-must-beat-it-away/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Stop that! What were you doing, perched on the window ledge like a big chicken?" Despite his aches and irritations, he couldn't help but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/stop-that-what-were-you-doing-perched-on-the-window-ledge-like-a-big/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Beth grimaced. “He is a pompous ass.” “And in dire need of a wealthy wife. Perhaps you should find a twitch to go with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/beth-grimaced-he-is-a-pompous-ass-and-in-dire-need-of-a-wealthy-wife/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [My dear brother, never allow a woman to hold all of the cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/my-dear-brother-never-allow-a-woman-to-hold-all-of-the-cards/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“As Dougal ushered them into the dining room, he wondered if Sophia's father and her grandfather would both wish to stay at MacFarlane House…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/as-dougal-ushered-them-into-the-dining-room-he-wondered-if-sophia-s/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) [Explore all 216 Karen Hawkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) ## More Hope quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“What can we do in any hardship? We can hope with prayerful praise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/what-can-we-do-in-any-hardship-we-can-hope-with-prayerful-praise/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/) [Eric Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bentley/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stop trying to give me hope ... I have no room left for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-f/stop-trying-to-give-me-hope-i-have-no-room-left-for-it/) [Jenn F](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-f/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/) Simone Abou Samra > [Im really happy that I met you I hope you know that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/im-nothing/im-really-happy-that-i-met-you-i-hope-you-know-that/) Im Nothing > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Browse all 24,868 Hope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don't know which is more telling about a soul, their laughter or their tears. 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