Life is like a gooseberry; enjoy it with a pinch a salt

We're taking everything he says with a pinch of salt. The explanation could possibly be that he doesn't want to tell us something, that he could be facing some threat, or that he is simply scared.

Beauty is a boon to one but bane to many

Mortals are easily tempted to pinch the life out of their neighbour's buzzing glory, and think that such killing is no murder.

Life is salt; the ocean, sweat, and tears.

When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic.