--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Smile while you can,’ Hettie Close had…" description: "\"“Smile while you can,’ Hettie Close had scrawled in ink almost as faded as the print above it. ‘Smile like the skull you’ll be, you fool, before you’re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/ramsey-campbell-34724_smile-like_smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scr_100079.jpg" --- # Smile while you can,’ Hettie Close had scrawled in ink… ![“Smile while you can,’ Hettie Close had scrawled in ink almost as faded as the print above it. ‘Smile like the skull you’ll be, you fool, before you’re worse than bones.” quote by Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/ramsey-campbell-34724_smile-like_smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scr_100079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/ramsey-campbell-34724_smile-like_smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scr_100079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/ramsey-campbell-34724_smile-like_smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scr_100079.jpg) > ““Smile while you can,’ Hettie Close had scrawled in ink almost as faded as the print above it. ‘Smile like the skull you’ll be, you fool, before you’re worse than bones.”” [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The inscription urges a fleeting joy before mortality renders us skeletal, mocking the futility of trying to outlive death. **In simple terms:** Smile now before you become bone. Key Takeaway Life is brief; embrace joy before decay. Themes mortality existentialism humor impermanence Mood darkly humorous ironic somber Type aphorism epitaph When to use this quote - funeral eulogies - terminal illness support groups - dark comedy performances - philosophical discussions on death Key Concepts memento mori Practical Applications - Use humor to ease end‑of‑life conversations - Encourage present‑moment appreciation Questions to Reflect On - Why does confronting death with humor help some people? - Can forced positivity mask genuine grief? A Different Perspective The tone may alienate those who find such jokes distressing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“I like to be around all these books. It’s like having a million friends, wrapped in paper and scrawled in ink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-grey/i-like-to-be-around-all-these-books-it-s-like-having-a-million/) Melissa Grey > [I love you so much babe! Everytime I think of you I smile like an idiot! :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naresha/i-love-you-so-much-babe-everytime-i-think-of-you-i-smile-like-an/) [Naresha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naresha/) > [I could get you to smile like that, and without sales tax." I whirled around to find the real Patch standing in the fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-could-get-you-to-smile-like-that-and-without-sales-tax-i-whirled/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Please don't smile like that. Your heart is full of feelings that you've kept to yourself. Don't laugh as if you don't know anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arina-tanemura/please-don-t-smile-like-that-your-heart-is-full-of-feelings-that-you/) [Arina Tanemura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arina-tanemura/) > [Because during the day is where we smile like everything, everyone makes us happy. We laugh like theirs nothing wrong. We have fun like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura/because-during-the-day-is-where-we-smile-like-everything-everyone/) [Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura/) > [I could get you to smile like that, and without sales tax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-could-get-you-to-smile-like-that-and-without-sales-tax/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [If someone would ask me what a beautiful life means, I would lean my head on your shoulder, hold you close to me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-would-ask-me-what-a-beautiful-life-means-i-would-lean-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You Dont Know How I Feel When You Smile At Me Like That !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karal/you-dont-know-how-i-feel-when-you-smile-at-me-like-that/) Karal > [If you are not using your smile, you're like someone with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-giblin/if-you-are-not-using-your-smile-you-re-like-someone-with-a-million/) [Les Giblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-giblin/) > [A day with a smile is like a week without water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heyhello77/a-day-with-a-smile-is-like-a-week-without-water/) HeyHello77 > [“. . . had decided what to do, which was to smile like the morning sun with a knife in its teeth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/had-decided-what-to-do-which-was-to-smile-like-the-morning-sun-with-a/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Im gonna smile like nothings wrong , Pretend like everything's alright , act like it's all perfect , even though inside it's really hurt..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra/im-gonna-smile-like-nothings-wrong-pretend-like-everything-s-alright/) [Sandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra/) > [Im gonna smile like nothings wrong Talk like everythings perfect Act like its just a dream And pretend like hes not hurting me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-gonna-smile-like-nothings-wrong-talk-like-everythings-perfect-act/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No matter how difficult something is, I will always be positive and smile like an idiot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-chanyeol-exo/no-matter-how-difficult-something-is-i-will-always-be-positive-and/) Park Chanyeol EXO > [“I have an aristocratic smile and like to punch people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-have-an-aristocratic-smile-and-like-to-punch-people/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) ## More by Ramsey Campbell > [“Unlike the rest he had seen of the bungalow, the hall beyond the door was dark. He could see the glimmer of three doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/unlike-the-rest-he-had-seen-of-the-bungalow-the-hall-beyond-the-door/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“Leaves that rustled, twigs that scraped and rattled. But the thin shapes weren't falling, they were scurrying head first down the tree-trunks at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/leaves-that-rustled-twigs-that-scraped-and-rattled-but-the-thin/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“I nearly forced my own way through the undergrowth to leave the sight behind. I was afraid I'd encouraged the figure to advance by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/i-nearly-forced-my-own-way-through-the-undergrowth-to-leave-the-sight/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“She walked Toby to Victoria Station and left him at the barrier. On her way into the underground she thought he’d followed her, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/she-walked-toby-to-victoria-station-and-left-him-at-the-barrier-on/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [One way to avoid what has already been done is to be true to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/one-way-to-avoid-what-has-already-been-done-is-to-be-true-to-yourself/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“Perhaps the woman was waiting beneath the lamps for cats to drop from the trees, like fruit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/perhaps-the-woman-was-waiting-beneath-the-lamps-for-cats-to-drop-from/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“The crying wailed, somewhere beneath the planks. Several sweeps of the light showed that the cellar was otherwise deserted. Though the face mouthed behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/the-crying-wailed-somewhere-beneath-the-planks-several-sweeps-of-the/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [Now I rewrite more and more severely, and I take great pleasure in cutting thousands of words out of first drafts; I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/now-i-rewrite-more-and-more-severely-and-i-take-great-pleasure-in/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [Thomas Ligotti is an absolute master of supernatural horror and weird fiction, and a true original. He pursues his unique vision with admirable honesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/thomas-ligotti-is-an-absolute-master-of-supernatural-horror-and-weird/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“Tradition is a pretty poor excuse for perpetrating stereotypes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/tradition-is-a-pretty-poor-excuse-for-perpetrating-stereotypes/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“He hurried back. Walls seemed to shift and advance. Right here, it must be. Wasn’t this passage too short? No, it wasn’t a wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/he-hurried-back-walls-seemed-to-shift-and-advance-right-here-it-must/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“All day Ben had felt surrounded by signs too secret to interpret: the dance of decaying leaves in the air, the long shadows where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/all-day-ben-had-felt-surrounded-by-signs-too-secret-to-interpret-the/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) > [“He slammed the door and ran blindly down the corridor, grabbing at handles. What exactly had he seen? They had been eating with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/he-slammed-the-door-and-ran-blindly-down-the-corridor-grabbing-at/) [Ramsey Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) [Explore all 14 Ramsey Campbell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/) ## More Smile Like quotes > [“I have an aristocratic smile and like to punch people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-have-an-aristocratic-smile-and-like-to-punch-people/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“No matter how difficult something is, I will always be positive and smile like an idiot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-chanyeol-exo/no-matter-how-difficult-something-is-i-will-always-be-positive-and/) Park Chanyeol EXO > [Im gonna smile like nothings wrong Talk like everythings perfect Act like its just a dream And pretend like hes not hurting me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-gonna-smile-like-nothings-wrong-talk-like-everythings-perfect-act/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im gonna smile like nothings wrong , Pretend like everything's alright , act like it's all perfect , even though inside it's really hurt..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra/im-gonna-smile-like-nothings-wrong-pretend-like-everything-s-alright/) [Sandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra/) > [“. . . had decided what to do, which was to smile like the morning sun with a knife in its teeth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/had-decided-what-to-do-which-was-to-smile-like-the-morning-sun-with-a/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A day with a smile is like a week without water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heyhello77/a-day-with-a-smile-is-like-a-week-without-water/) HeyHello77 > [If you are not using your smile, you're like someone with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-giblin/if-you-are-not-using-your-smile-you-re-like-someone-with-a-million/) [Les Giblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-giblin/) > [You Dont Know How I Feel When You Smile At Me Like That !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karal/you-dont-know-how-i-feel-when-you-smile-at-me-like-that/) Karal > [If someone would ask me what a beautiful life means, I would lean my head on your shoulder, hold you close to me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-would-ask-me-what-a-beautiful-life-means-i-would-lean-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I could get you to smile like that, and without sales tax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-could-get-you-to-smile-like-that-and-without-sales-tax/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Because during the day is where we smile like everything, everyone makes us happy. We laugh like theirs nothing wrong. We have fun like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura/because-during-the-day-is-where-we-smile-like-everything-everyone/) [Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura/) > [Please don't smile like that. Your heart is full of feelings that you've kept to yourself. Don't laugh as if you don't know anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arina-tanemura/please-don-t-smile-like-that-your-heart-is-full-of-feelings-that-you/) [Arina Tanemura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arina-tanemura/) > [I could get you to smile like that, and without sales tax." I whirled around to find the real Patch standing in the fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-could-get-you-to-smile-like-that-and-without-sales-tax-i-whirled/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [I love you so much babe! Everytime I think of you I smile like an idiot! :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naresha/i-love-you-so-much-babe-everytime-i-think-of-you-i-smile-like-an/) [Naresha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naresha/) > [I'm going to smile like nothing wrong, talk like everything's perfect, act like it's all a dream, and pretend it's not hurting me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-going-to-smile-like-nothing-wrong-talk-like-everything-s-perfect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 152 Smile Like quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Smile while you can,’ Hettie Close had scrawled in ink almost as faded as the print above it. ‘Smile like the skull you’ll be, you fool, before you’re worse than bones.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ramsey Campbell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scrawled-in-ink-almost-as-faded/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Smile Like" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scrawled-in-ink-almost-as-faded/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/ramsey-campbell-34724_smile-like_smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scr_100079.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/ramsey-campbell-34724_smile-like_smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scr_100079.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/ramsey-campbell-34724_smile-like_smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scr_100079.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Smile while you can,’ Hettie Close had scrawled in ink almost as faded as the print above it. ‘Smile like…” — Ramsey Campbell", "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": "Ramsey Campbell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-campbell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Smile while you can,’ Hettie Close...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scrawled-in-ink-almost-as-faded/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-campbell/smile-while-you-can-hettie-close-had-scrawled-in-ink-almost-as-faded/#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 } } ] } ```