---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is the undertaker joyous when his turn…"
description: "\"“Is the undertaker joyous when his turn comes around? All those years holding the door open. To pass through - does it feel like a privileged?”\" — Rich..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/richard-smyth-51108_death_is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-c_3008145.jpg"
---

#  Is the undertaker joyous when his turn comes around? All…

![“Is the undertaker joyous when his turn comes around? All those years holding the door open. To pass through - does it feel like a privileged?” quote by Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/richard-smyth-51108_death_is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-c_3008145.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/richard-smyth-51108_death_is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-c_3008145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/richard-smyth-51108_death_is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-c_3008145.jpg)

> ““Is the undertaker joyous when his turn comes around? All those years holding the door open. To pass through - does it feel like a privileged?””

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The undertaker wonders if his role feels privileged, holding doors open for the dead.

**In simple terms:** Questioning whether guiding the dead is a privilege.

Key Takeaway

Reflect on the dignity of service to death.

Themes

mortality service privilege

Mood

somber reflective

Type

philosophical emotional

When to use this quote

- funeral planning
- counseling
- volunteering
- spiritual support

Key Concepts

thanology ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- What does service to the dying mean to you?
- Can you find honor in helping others transition?

A Different Perspective

May be uncomfortable confronting death.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/)

## Related quotes

> [“whispers are often thunderous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/whispers-are-often-thunderous/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“Perhaps it's impolite to die so flippantly, after all she's done for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/perhaps-it-s-impolite-to-die-so-flippantly-after-all-she-s-done-for-me/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“There are too many years around this table, too much time confined in one place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/there-are-too-many-years-around-this-table-too-much-time-confined-in/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“My pains, sometimes seem like witch hunters: confess, confess, confess. Like a heavy stone on my rib-cage. Confess to what? And, of course, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/my-pains-sometimes-seem-like-witch-hunters-confess-confess-confess/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“I was well-read but perhaps that only made me stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/i-was-well-read-but-perhaps-that-only-made-me-stupid/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“You hear about ghosts: sad ghosts, angry ghosts.I'll tell you, the worst is when they laugh, and the worst sort are the ones whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/you-hear-about-ghosts-sad-ghosts-angry-ghosts-i-ll-tell-you-the-worst/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [This felt right. Not just leaving, but how I was doing it. Without regret, without second guessing. And with Wes right there, holding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-felt-right-not-just-leaving-but-how-i-was-doing-it-without/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [If someone wants to walk out of your life you're better off holding the door for them so you can lock it behind them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony/if-someone-wants-to-walk-out-of-your-life-you-re-better-off-holding/)

Tony

> [Almost every time i saw you, you were with him. But one day, you walked up to the building alone. I was holding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/almost-every-time-i-saw-you-you-were-with-him-but-one-day-you-walked/)

[Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/)

> [“Awe! Leaving so soon?” Gabby said sweetly, holding the door open. “I was just about to pull out the gun for you to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kreitzer/awe-leaving-so-soon-gabby-said-sweetly-holding-the-door-open-i-was/)

[Laura Kreitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kreitzer/)

> [“I was holding the door for several girls in front of you, and I waited for you to catch up. When you reached me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/i-was-holding-the-door-for-several-girls-in-front-of-you-and-i-waited/)

[Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/)

> [“Some of you are eternal doormen. holding the door open for those who are headed out into greatness. I thank you for that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/some-of-you-are-eternal-doormen-holding-the-door-open-for-those-who/)

[Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/)

> [I am in the habit, like most British people, of holding the door open for people. But in the U.S., people don't understand it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raza-jaffrey/i-am-in-the-habit-like-most-british-people-of-holding-the-door-open/)

[Raza Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raza-jaffrey/)

> [“We have gone from holding the door out of courtesy to standing before it out of obliviousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/we-have-gone-from-holding-the-door-out-of-courtesy-to-standing-before/)

[John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/)

> [I do find it extraordinary that men are so prepared to pay for your dinner here. That simply never happens in England. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/i-do-find-it-extraordinary-that-men-are-so-prepared-to-pay-for-your/)

[Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/)

## More by Richard Smyth

> [“whispers are often thunderous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/whispers-are-often-thunderous/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“Perhaps it's impolite to die so flippantly, after all she's done for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/perhaps-it-s-impolite-to-die-so-flippantly-after-all-she-s-done-for-me/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“There are too many years around this table, too much time confined in one place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/there-are-too-many-years-around-this-table-too-much-time-confined-in/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“My pains, sometimes seem like witch hunters: confess, confess, confess. Like a heavy stone on my rib-cage. Confess to what? And, of course, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/my-pains-sometimes-seem-like-witch-hunters-confess-confess-confess/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“You hear about ghosts: sad ghosts, angry ghosts.I'll tell you, the worst is when they laugh, and the worst sort are the ones whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/you-hear-about-ghosts-sad-ghosts-angry-ghosts-i-ll-tell-you-the-worst/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

> [“I was well-read but perhaps that only made me stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/i-was-well-read-but-perhaps-that-only-made-me-stupid/)

[Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

[Explore all 7 Richard Smyth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/)

## More Death quotes

> [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/)

[Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/)

> [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/)

[Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/)

> [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/)

[Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/)

> [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. 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": "“Is the undertaker joyous when his turn comes around? All those years holding the door open. To pass through - does it feel like a privileged?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Smyth"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-comes-around-all-those-years/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Death"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-comes-around-all-those-years/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/richard-smyth-51108_death_is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-c_3008145.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/richard-smyth-51108_death_is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-c_3008145.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/richard-smyth-51108_death_is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-c_3008145.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Is the undertaker joyous when his turn comes around? All those years holding the door open. To pass through…” — Richard Smyth",
                "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": "Richard Smyth",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Is the undertaker joyous when his...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-comes-around-all-those-years/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/is-the-undertaker-joyous-when-his-turn-comes-around-all-those-years/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
