--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would not begin to understand until I…" description: "\"“I would not begin to understand until I was a very old woman, and even then they would still be a mystery.”\" — Alice Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/alice-hoffman-427_old-woman_i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i_3154199.png" --- # I would not begin to understand until I was a very old… ![“I would not begin to understand until I was a very old woman, and even then they would still be a mystery.” quote by Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/alice-hoffman-427_old-woman_i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i_3154199.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/alice-hoffman-427_old-woman_i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i_3154199.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/alice-hoffman-427_old-woman_i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i_3154199.png) > ““I would not begin to understand until I was a very old woman, and even then they would still be a mystery.”” [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding can be elusive, often only gaining clarity with age, yet some mysteries persist regardless. **In simple terms:** Age brings insight, but some things stay mysterious. Key Takeaway Accept that some questions may never be fully answered. Themes growth wisdom uncertainty Mood contemplative melancholic Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal reflection - intergenerational dialogue - philosophical inquiry Key Concepts existential lifelong learning Questions to Reflect On - What mysteries remain for you despite experience? - How does age change your perception of unknowns? A Different Perspective Even with age, not all mysteries resolve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman/) ## Related quotes > [A man gives many question marks, however, a woman is a whole mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-storm/a-man-gives-many-question-marks-however-a-woman-is-a-whole-mystery/) Diana Storm > [“He'd already realized that he could not begin to understand the things men did; now he saw women were even harder to figure out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/he-d-already-realized-that-he-could-not-begin-to-understand-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [A woman is a mystery to guide a wise and open man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/a-woman-is-a-mystery-to-guide-a-wise-and-open-man/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [A woman is always a mystery: one must not be fooled by her face and her hearts inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmondo-de-amicis/a-woman-is-always-a-mystery-one-must-not-be-fooled-by-her-face-and/) [Edmondo De Amicis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmondo-de-amicis/) > [Suspense is like a woman. The more left to the imagination, the more the excitement. ... The conventional big-bosomed blonde is not mysterious. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hitchcock/suspense-is-like-a-woman-the-more-left-to-the-imagination-the-more-2/) [Alfred Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hitchcock/) > [Well, for me as a heterosexual man, the woman is still the mystery of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-provost/well-for-me-as-a-heterosexual-man-the-woman-is-still-the-mystery-of/) Nicolas Provost > [A woman of mystery is one who also has a certain maturity and whose actions speak louder than words. Any woman can be one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hitchcock/a-woman-of-mystery-is-one-who-also-has-a-certain-maturity-and-whose/) [Alfred Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hitchcock/) > [“I would guess that there are limits to what we can understand. But old people always think there are limits to what we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-susskind/i-would-guess-that-there-are-limits-to-what-we-can-understand-but-old/) [Leonard Susskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-susskind/) > [“I may be an old guy, but the truth is old guys remember stuff real well. Not recent things, you understand, but old things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/i-may-be-an-old-guy-but-the-truth-is-old-guys-remember-stuff-real/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [When you're young your mother shields you from the world because she thinks you're too young to understand, and when she's old you shield…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pearson/when-you-re-young-your-mother-shields-you-from-the-world-because-she/) [Allison Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pearson/) > [“Have you noticed that the narrower the view the more you can see? For the first time I understand how old ladies can sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/have-you-noticed-that-the-narrower-the-view-the-more-you-can-see-for/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [Most people do not understand until old age what Plato tells them when they are young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/most-people-do-not-understand-until-old-age-what-plato-tells-them/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [I love words but I don't like strange ones. You don't understand them and they don't understand you. Old words is like old friends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-love-words-but-i-don-t-like-strange-ones-you-don-t-understand-them/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“They don't understand it. They're not old enough to know the first instinct of irritation should be avoided in order to keep an open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-gray/they-don-t-understand-it-they-re-not-old-enough-to-know-the-first/) [Amelia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-gray/) > [“We discard the elderly, but the elderly used to discard the elderly. Those old people we tease are just listening to our insults and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/we-discard-the-elderly-but-the-elderly-used-to-discard-the-elderly/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) ## More by Alice Hoffman > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“All of the quarters in his hand were tarnished. He had no idea that the silver in a man’s pockets always turns black if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/all-of-the-quarters-in-his-hand-were-tarnished-he-had-no-idea-that/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [But most important of all, she explained that it was all right to say 'No. I disagree.' that was a gift. I understood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-most-important-of-all-she-explained-that-it-was-all-right-to-say/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“It was after dark when the woods were most filled with magic, when there were fireflies and the mist was rising from the streams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-was-after-dark-when-the-woods-were-most-filled-with-magic-when/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [This was what it meant to be human, to know that time moved and all things changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/this-was-what-it-meant-to-be-human-to-know-that-time-moved-and-all/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“She preferred cats to human beings and turned down every offer from the men who fell in love with her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/she-preferred-cats-to-human-beings-and-turned-down-every-offer-from/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I'm a really eclectic reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-m-a-really-eclectic-reader/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [It's not the lie that's the problem; it's the distance the lie forges between you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-s-not-the-lie-that-s-the-problem-it-s-the-distance-the-lie-forges/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Her vision was going, but she could see him, the way people see clouds-beautiful, racing by, casting shadows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/her-vision-was-going-but-she-could-see-him-the-way-people-see-clouds/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [That's why there are ten gates to pass through before you reach the garden. If life were easy there would be one gate. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/that-s-why-there-are-ten-gates-to-pass-through-before-you-reach-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“...the summer of the gypsy moths when all the trees in their yard were bare, the leaves chewed by caterpillars. You could hear crunching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-summer-of-the-gypsy-moths-when-all-the-trees-in-their-yard-were/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“The best way to die is when you're living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-best-way-to-die-is-when-you-re-living/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Haylin was given a good talking-to by the headmaster and made to write a paper about workers’ rights, which he considered a privilege rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/haylin-was-given-a-good-talking-to-by-the-headmaster-and-made-to/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-darling-girl-when-are-you-going-to-realize-that-being-normal-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) [Explore all 571 Alice Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## More Old woman quotes > [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/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Yeah, I'm a geek. I read sci-fi and I watch sci-fi films. I love my computer and I love to fix it. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/yeah-i-m-a-geek-i-read-sci-fi-and-i-watch-sci-fi-films-i-love-my/) [Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/) > [“Seriously, this old woman had no idea how close she came to being squashed like a roach. -Sage Hannigan, Contingency”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-martinez/seriously-this-old-woman-had-no-idea-how-close-she-came-to-being/) P. S. Martinez > [Again and again I tell God I need help, and God says, 'Well, isn't that fabulous? Because I need help too. So you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/again-and-again-i-tell-god-i-need-help-and-god-says-well-isn-t-that/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The Witch's Life" When I was a child there was an old woman in our neighborhood whom we called The Witch. All day she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/the-witch-s-life-when-i-was-a-child-there-was-an-old-woman-in-our/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [The public is anold woman.Let her maunderand mumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-public-is-anold-woman-let-her-maunderand-mumble/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“Come into my wagon, dear heart,” the old woman crooned at Celaena, “and let old Baba Yellowlegs take a look into your future.” Sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/come-into-my-wagon-dear-heart-the-old-woman-crooned-at-celaena-and/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Picture to yourself, O fair young reader, a worldly, selfish, graceless, thankless, religionless old woman, writhing in pain and fear, and without her wig.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/picture-to-yourself-o-fair-young-reader-a-worldly-selfish-graceless/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“The old woman took the umbrella, gratefully, and smiled her thanks. “You’ve a good heart,” she told him. “Sometimes that’s enough to see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-old-woman-took-the-umbrella-gratefully-and-smiled-her-thanks-you/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When you ask single men in their 20s, "Do you want children?" they want children more than women do. Again, economics drive this. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-marche/when-you-ask-single-men-in-their-20s-do-you-want-children-they-want/) [Stephen Marche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-marche/) > [This is what I miss, Cordelia: not something that’s gone, but something that will never happen. Two old women giggling over their tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/this-is-what-i-miss-cordelia-not-something-that-s-gone-but-something/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [WITCH, n. (1) Any ugly and repulsive old woman, in a wicked league with the devil. (2) A beautiful and attractive young woman, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/witch-n-1-any-ugly-and-repulsive-old-woman-in-a-wicked-league-with/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“There being nobody by, however, but a pauper old woman, who was rendered rather misty by an unwonted allowance of beer; and a parish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-being-nobody-by-however-but-a-pauper-old-woman-who-was-rendered/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [All I can say is that we are mistaken to gouge such a deep rift in history that the things old men and old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frazier/all-i-can-say-is-that-we-are-mistaken-to-gouge-such-a-deep-rift-in/) [Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-frazier/) Browse all 347 Old woman quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I would not begin to understand until I was a very old woman, and even then they would still be a mystery.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i-was-a-very-old-woman-and-even/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Old woman" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i-was-a-very-old-woman-and-even/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/alice-hoffman-427_old-woman_i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i_3154199.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/alice-hoffman-427_old-woman_i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i_3154199.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/alice-hoffman-427_old-woman_i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i_3154199.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would not begin to understand until I was a very old woman, and even then they would still be a mystery.” — Alice Hoffman", "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": "Alice Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I would not begin to understand...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i-was-a-very-old-woman-and-even/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-would-not-begin-to-understand-until-i-was-a-very-old-woman-and-even/#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 } } ] } ```