--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not sure I should tell you. Not while…" description: "\"“I'm not sure I should tell you. Not while you're alive, at least. Some things are better left for after death.\" (Mac)”\" — Marshall Thornton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/marshall-thornton-2247_death_i-m-not-sure-i-should-tell-you-not-while_190081.jpg" --- # I'm not sure I should tell you. Not while you're alive, at… ![“I'm not sure I should tell you. Not while you're alive, at least. Some things are better left for after death." (Mac)” quote by Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/marshall-thornton-2247_death_i-m-not-sure-i-should-tell-you-not-while_190081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/marshall-thornton-2247_death_i-m-not-sure-i-should-tell-you-not-while_190081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/marshall-thornton-2247_death_i-m-not-sure-i-should-tell-you-not-while_190081.jpg) > ““I'm not sure I should tell you. Not while you're alive, at least. Some things are better left for after death." (Mac)”” [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A speaker suggests some truths are best revealed after death, implying that timing affects how messages are received. **In simple terms:** Some truths are best told after death. Key Takeaway Consider when to share sensitive information. Themes secrecy timing truth death communication Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - family discussions - confessions - historical revelations - legal testimonies Key Concepts Ethics mortality legacy Questions to Reflect On - When is the right moment to share a secret? - What are the risks of delaying truth? A Different Perspective Revealing too early may cause harm or misunderstanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ## Related quotes > [“To be alive today is to have a story to tell. To be alive is precisely to be the hero, the center of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/to-be-alive-today-is-to-have-a-story-to-tell-to-be-alive-is-precisely/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) > [I have something to tell you," he says. I run my fingers along the tendons in his hand and look back at him. "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-have-something-to-tell-you-he-says-i-run-my-fingers-along-the/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Every now and then I know it's kinda hard to tell, but I'm still alive and well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-winter/every-now-and-then-i-know-it-s-kinda-hard-to-tell-but-i-m-still-alive/) [Johnny Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-winter/) > [I don't need anybody to tell me how to be alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-kinski/i-don-t-need-anybody-to-tell-me-how-to-be-alive/) [Klaus Kinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-kinski/) > [You'll get some leg tonight for sure, tell us how you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-halen/you-ll-get-some-leg-tonight-for-sure-tell-us-how-you-do/) [Van Halen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-halen/) > [“How do you tell if someone is alive? You check for breathing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/how-do-you-tell-if-someone-is-alive-you-check-for-breathing/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Tell me how it's being alive if you can't stop for one freaking second and care about someone?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-redisch-stampler/tell-me-how-it-s-being-alive-if-you-can-t-stop-for-one-freaking/) [Ann Redisch Stampler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-redisch-stampler/) > [“Just tell me she’s alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-daniels/just-tell-me-she-s-alive/) [B.J. Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-daniels/) > [I'm never sure why I do anything, to tell you the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-m-never-sure-why-i-do-anything-to-tell-you-the-truth/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have something I need to tell you," he says. 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I just want to own my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-just-want-to-make-sure-i-could-tell-my-story-the-way-i-want-to-tell/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [Don't trust your friends 100% because if you tell them a secret I'm sure they will tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-trust-your-friends-100-because-if-you-tell-them-a-secret-i-m/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want you to know something but I'm not sure how to tell you, so I'll let the first three words do the explaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-you-to-know-something-but-i-m-not-sure-how-to-tell-you-so-i-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Write,' she said, 'as if you'll never be read. That way you'll be sure to tell the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lansens/write-she-said-as-if-you-ll-never-be-read-that-way-you-ll-be-sure-to/) [Lori Lansens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lansens/) > [“It happens in a flash, life does. Only the ever-deepening lines on my face tell me that I have been alive for a while.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/it-happens-in-a-flash-life-does-only-the-ever-deepening-lines-on-my/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) ## More by Marshall Thornton > [“These days you don't need a country to have a flag, you don't need to win an election to become president, and you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/these-days-you-don-t-need-a-country-to-have-a-flag-you-don-t-need-to/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [“ The Ten Commandments As Interpreted by Robin Palmetier 1. Don’t lie. Unless it’s to the police. 2. Don’t cheat your customers. Robin always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/the-ten-commandments-as-interpreted-by-robin-palmetier-1-don-t-lie/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [“That was the problem with good friends. Eventually they knew enough about you to say terrible things for your own good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/that-was-the-problem-with-good-friends-eventually-they-knew-enough/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [“You live your life like it's some kind of nuclear fallout shelter. The walls are three feet thick, you have enough food to last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/you-live-your-life-like-it-s-some-kind-of-nuclear-fallout-shelter-the/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [“So are you doing anything for your anniversary? 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By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. 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Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'm not sure I should tell you. Not while you're alive, at least. 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