--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am the collector of the past." description: "\"“I am the collector of the past.”\" — Ashley Newell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/ashley-newell-30178_past_i-am-the-collector-of-the-past-885840_885840.jpg" --- # I am the collector of the past. ![“I am the collector of the past.” quote by Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/ashley-newell-30178_past_i-am-the-collector-of-the-past-885840_885840.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/ashley-newell-30178_past_i-am-the-collector-of-the-past-885840_885840.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/ashley-newell-30178_past_i-am-the-collector-of-the-past-885840_885840.jpg) > ““I am the collector of the past.”” [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collecting memories preserves identity and informs future choices. **In simple terms:** Keeping past memories shapes future decisions. Key Takeaway Preserve and reflect on past experiences. Themes memory identity reflection Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - family history projects - genealogy research - personal journaling - museum curation Key Concepts historical awareness personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - How does remembering the past influence your present goals? - What stories from your past deserve preservation? A Different Perspective Memory can be selective and biased, affecting accuracy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collector/) [Collector Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collector-past-1097485/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I harvest pieces of time from hour plates. I am a collector of past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-fulger/i-harvest-pieces-of-time-from-hour-plates-i-am-a-collector-of-past/) [Mariana Fulger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-fulger/) > [I think when you get interested in antiques, the most frustrating thing is that books don't have enough photos. When you go to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-miller/i-think-when-you-get-interested-in-antiques-the-most-frustrating/) [Judith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-miller/) > [My specialty as a collector is books that almost have value. When I love a book, I don't buy the first edition, because those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/my-specialty-as-a-collector-is-books-that-almost-have-value-when-i/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I'm not a hoarder, I'm a collector: if you have something you like, every time you see it, you have a little happy hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-m-not-a-hoarder-i-m-a-collector-if-you-have-something-you-like/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [I started getting back into buying old analog gear while we were recording. Lots of old drum machines and synths. It wasn't a conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-started-getting-back-into-buying-old-analog-gear-while-we-were/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I'm a geeky toy collector, and to have toys of your own characters is unbelievably cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mccracken/i-m-a-geeky-toy-collector-and-to-have-toys-of-your-own-characters-is/) [Craig McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mccracken/) > [I woke up one day and I was like, "I don't have anything to save for myself for the future." That's when I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-wu/i-woke-up-one-day-and-i-was-like-i-don-t-have-anything-to-save-for/) [Jason Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-wu/) > [“he was a collector rather than a hunter, buying his knowledge rather than seeking it with his own eyes and hands. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/he-was-a-collector-rather-than-a-hunter-buying-his-knowledge-rather/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [Colder than a tax-collector's heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/colder-than-a-tax-collector-s-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love rare books. Not that I own a lot of them, mind you. You couldn't quite call me a rare-book collector. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/i-love-rare-books-not-that-i-own-a-lot-of-them-mind-you-you-couldn-t/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Before I had kids, my bag was clean. In case I need to occupy them, I like to have Hot Wheels cars, See's lollipops,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-brandt/before-i-had-kids-my-bag-was-clean-in-case-i-need-to-occupy-them-i/) [Betsy Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-brandt/) > [“His life was now the life of a collector, and that gave it meaning. Evening after evening he would count and arrange his cuttings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/his-life-was-now-the-life-of-a-collector-and-that-gave-it-meaning/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [I am a collector of jewels, old jewels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandro-michele/i-am-a-collector-of-jewels-old-jewels/) [Alessandro Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandro-michele/) > [I bought tiny infant onesies while still in college and compiled a killer toy collection throughout my 20s and 30s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/i-bought-tiny-infant-onesies-while-still-in-college-and-compiled-a/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [Sometimes I am a collector of data, and only a collector, and am likely to be gross and miserly, piling up notes, pleased with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/sometimes-i-am-a-collector-of-data-and-only-a-collector-and-am-likely/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) ## More by Ashley Newell > [“Since when do you look out for me? You really have grown up." "Had to happen sometime," I say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/since-when-do-you-look-out-for-me-you-really-have-grown-up-had-to/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“I'd watch his smooth chest rise and fall with each steady breath, I'd watch the pulsating of his stomach when he laughed, and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-d-watch-his-smooth-chest-rise-and-fall-with-each-steady-breath-i-d/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“I don't think they like it when we're happy" "Maybe they just don't realize that we can be, even here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-don-t-think-they-like-it-when-we-re-happy-maybe-they-just-don-t/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“P.S. It's not schizophrenia, it's creativity, there is a difference. My voices go away after I let them tell their stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/p-s-it-s-not-schizophrenia-it-s-creativity-there-is-a-difference-my/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“ Not a day has gone by , he said. Poor Jos. Days had gone by for me. It wasn't that I had forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/not-a-day-has-gone-by-he-said-poor-jos-days-had-gone-by-for-me-it/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“You won't fit in around here, Skid," he said lightly. "A do-gooder like you can burn out fast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/you-won-t-fit-in-around-here-skid-he-said-lightly-a-do-gooder-like/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“Man, who did you piss off today? Laundry and kitchen? Just take the damn drugs next time, Blanky, you might live longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/man-who-did-you-piss-off-today-laundry-and-kitchen-just-take-the-damn/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“You're not broken. You're perfect. And when you get to get away from these kids, you might finally have a good man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/you-re-not-broken-you-re-perfect-and-when-you-get-to-get-away-from/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“This is the place of nightmares in so many ways, but there's nightmares on the outside, too, and one day, when you're not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/this-is-the-place-of-nightmares-in-so-many-ways-but-there-s/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“At least when I bugger-up, I do it consistently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/at-least-when-i-bugger-up-i-do-it-consistently/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“Zac dangled his legs off the edge of the building, hanging onto every word I said as though I were some old time bard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/zac-dangled-his-legs-off-the-edge-of-the-building-hanging-onto-every/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“Unauthorized making of babies was strictly forbidden by Freakhouse staff, but that didn't stop everyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/unauthorized-making-of-babies-was-strictly-forbidden-by-freakhouse/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“I have led you down a road of deception just to correct you and make you look like an uneducated ass”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-have-led-you-down-a-road-of-deception-just-to-correct-you-and-make/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“It surprised me that I was already using the past tense. People I knew. As if I didn't know them anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/it-surprised-me-that-i-was-already-using-the-past-tense-people-i-knew/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [“I went from a morning of fear and panic to mind-boggling confusion, to an overwhelming sense of guilt, to stuffing a pair of socks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-went-from-a-morning-of-fear-and-panic-to-mind-boggling-confusion-to/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) [Explore all 17 Ashley Newell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) ## More Collector quotes > [Sometimes I am a collector of data, and only a collector, and am likely to be gross and miserly, piling up notes, pleased with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/sometimes-i-am-a-collector-of-data-and-only-a-collector-and-am-likely/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [I bought tiny infant onesies while still in college and compiled a killer toy collection throughout my 20s and 30s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/i-bought-tiny-infant-onesies-while-still-in-college-and-compiled-a/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [I am a collector of jewels, old jewels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandro-michele/i-am-a-collector-of-jewels-old-jewels/) [Alessandro Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandro-michele/) > [“His life was now the life of a collector, and that gave it meaning. Evening after evening he would count and arrange his cuttings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/his-life-was-now-the-life-of-a-collector-and-that-gave-it-meaning/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Before I had kids, my bag was clean. In case I need to occupy them, I like to have Hot Wheels cars, See's lollipops,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-brandt/before-i-had-kids-my-bag-was-clean-in-case-i-need-to-occupy-them-i/) [Betsy Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-brandt/) > [I love rare books. Not that I own a lot of them, mind you. You couldn't quite call me a rare-book collector. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/i-love-rare-books-not-that-i-own-a-lot-of-them-mind-you-you-couldn-t/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Colder than a tax-collector's heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/colder-than-a-tax-collector-s-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“he was a collector rather than a hunter, buying his knowledge rather than seeking it with his own eyes and hands. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/he-was-a-collector-rather-than-a-hunter-buying-his-knowledge-rather/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [I woke up one day and I was like, "I don't have anything to save for myself for the future." That's when I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-wu/i-woke-up-one-day-and-i-was-like-i-don-t-have-anything-to-save-for/) [Jason Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-wu/) > [I'm a geeky toy collector, and to have toys of your own characters is unbelievably cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mccracken/i-m-a-geeky-toy-collector-and-to-have-toys-of-your-own-characters-is/) [Craig McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mccracken/) > [I started getting back into buying old analog gear while we were recording. Lots of old drum machines and synths. It wasn't a conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-started-getting-back-into-buying-old-analog-gear-while-we-were/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I'm not a hoarder, I'm a collector: if you have something you like, every time you see it, you have a little happy hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-m-not-a-hoarder-i-m-a-collector-if-you-have-something-you-like/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [My specialty as a collector is books that almost have value. When I love a book, I don't buy the first edition, because those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/my-specialty-as-a-collector-is-books-that-almost-have-value-when-i/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I think when you get interested in antiques, the most frustrating thing is that books don't have enough photos. When you go to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-miller/i-think-when-you-get-interested-in-antiques-the-most-frustrating/) [Judith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-miller/) > [I like sneakers. I guess I could call myself a collector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-like-sneakers-i-guess-i-could-call-myself-a-collector/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) [Browse all 268 Collector quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collector/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I am the collector of the past.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ashley Newell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-am-the-collector-of-the-past/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Collector" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-am-the-collector-of-the-past/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/ashley-newell-30178_past_i-am-the-collector-of-the-past-885840_885840.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/ashley-newell-30178_past_i-am-the-collector-of-the-past-885840_885840.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/ashley-newell-30178_past_i-am-the-collector-of-the-past-885840_885840.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am the collector of the past.” — Ashley Newell", "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": "Ashley Newell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I am the collector of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-am-the-collector-of-the-past/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-am-the-collector-of-the-past/#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 } } ] } ```