---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the years have taught me one thing…"
description: "\"“If the years have taught me one thing it's that those who care are always scarce. Those who genuinely care; not the acquaintances, false friends or th..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/darrell-drake-40398_business_if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it_527477.jpg"
---

#  If the years have taught me one thing it's that those who…

![“If the years have taught me one thing it's that those who care are always scarce. Those who genuinely care; not the acquaintances, false friends or those with similar aspirations. The few who seek your company, the souls who would plainly step off the world for you. Once you resolve to ignore…” quote by Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/darrell-drake-40398_business_if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it_527477.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/darrell-drake-40398_business_if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it_527477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/darrell-drake-40398_business_if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it_527477.jpg)

> ““If the years have taught me one thing it's that those who care are always scarce. Those who genuinely care; not the acquaintances, false friends or those with similar aspirations. The few who seek your company, the souls who would plainly step off the world for you. Once you resolve to ignore them, only regret will follow.””

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

## About This Quote

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

He reflects on scarcity of true caring friends, warning that ignoring them leads to regret.

**In simple terms:** Real friends are rare; neglecting them brings remorse.

Key Takeaway

Value and nurture genuine relationships.

Themes

friendship scarcity regret loyalty

Mood

thoughtful somber

Type

reflective inspirational

When to use this quote

- career networking
- personal relationships
- community building
- mental health counseling

Key Concepts

Authentic connection social support emotional investment

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you identify truly caring friends?
- What steps can you take to maintain them?

A Different Perspective

Not all relationships are equally deep.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [False friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-friends/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Friendship and love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship-and-love/) [Lamentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lamentation/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/)

## Related quotes

> [Each time you ignore me, I regret every text message that I've ever sent you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/each-time-you-ignore-me-i-regret-every-text-message-that-i-ve-ever/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Artificial feeding requires medical services to be nearby. In much of the world, access to medical care is scarce and services overstretched.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-palmer/artificial-feeding-requires-medical-services-to-be-nearby-in-much-of/)

[Gabrielle Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-palmer/)

> [Moments I want to forget, circle my head every time I feel regret, I follow my heart and after all my failures, I wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-joseph/moments-i-want-to-forget-circle-my-head-every-time-i-feel-regret-i/)

[Cody Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-joseph/)

> [“If I’m happy because of something -even if that thing persists- my happiness in time vanishes. But if I regret something or become sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cave-man/if-i-m-happy-because-of-something-even-if-that-thing-persists-my/)

Cave Man

> [“To me everything in business boils down to this: do you genuinely care about your customers - or just their cash?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-ogunlaru/to-me-everything-in-business-boils-down-to-this-do-you-genuinely-care/)

[Rasheed Ogunlaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-ogunlaru/)

> [I have had difficult moments, I had a great network of people around me. But I feel there are people here who genuinely care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/i-have-had-difficult-moments-i-had-a-great-network-of-people-around/)

[Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/)

> [“If you really, truly, genuinely care about the people around you, then throw away all that vengeance and hatred, and say to yourself -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-you-really-truly-genuinely-care-about-the-people-around-you-then/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [If you dont genuinely care about people, they wont care about you. The more you help others, the more they will want to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-dont-genuinely-care-about-people-they-wont-care-about-you-the/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [All I want is for someone to genuinely care about me. I want someone to be afraid of losing me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-i-want-is-for-someone-to-genuinely-care-about-me-i-want-someone/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The more we genuinely care about others the greater our own happiness &amp; inner peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-lokos/the-more-we-genuinely-care-about-others-the-greater-our-own-happiness/)

[Allan Lokos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-lokos/)

> [“you recognize your connection to others and perceive that you aren’t the only one who matters, and you genuinely care about the good of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-villoldo/you-recognize-your-connection-to-others-and-perceive-that-you-aren-t/)

[Alberto Villoldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-villoldo/)

> [Knowing that you're not alone, and that people genuinely care, is really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madelaine-petsch/knowing-that-you-re-not-alone-and-that-people-genuinely-care-is/)

[Madelaine Petsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madelaine-petsch/)

> [When you stop caring about something, then other people have to decide whether or not they genuinely care about you, or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-williams/when-you-stop-caring-about-something-then-other-people-have-to-decide/)

[Hayley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-williams/)

> [The more we help others, the more they will want to help us. Let each of us look not only to our own interests,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/the-more-we-help-others-the-more-they-will-want-to-help-us-let-each/)

[Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/)

> [I genuinely care about everybody in this country, and I want them to thrive and be successful, not be dragged down by their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-cooper/i-genuinely-care-about-everybody-in-this-country-and-i-want-them-to/)

[Brett Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-cooper/)

## More by Darrell Drake

> [“You aren’t falling apart. You’re well beyond that. You’re just rattling along now. Elven dolls doing what little you can to gather the pieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/you-aren-t-falling-apart-you-re-well-beyond-that-you-re-just-rattling/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“She could have rambled with all the fervor of a woman who had loved one entity for longer than most races live, and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/she-could-have-rambled-with-all-the-fervor-of-a-woman-who-had-loved/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“There is a duality to darkness known only to those who’ve been infected by its touch. Everyone knows the shadows: shallow, comfortable, mostly harmless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/there-is-a-duality-to-darkness-known-only-to-those-who-ve-been/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“She murdered for her truth, and they had died for theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/she-murdered-for-her-truth-and-they-had-died-for-theirs/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“♫ Climbed that roost, alighted right there. Made mush of his head for the onlooker bears. A two-pronger her prize, a meat most rare.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/climbed-that-roost-alighted-right-there-made-mush-of-his-head-for-the/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“Two coconuts dropped beside him. Each went about its death throes with a slight bounce and languorous crawl then fell still.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/two-coconuts-dropped-beside-him-each-went-about-its-death-throes-with/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“Deception was an inherent trait of intelligent beings. Even his love, in her ample ardor, would weave him a guilty lie for his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/deception-was-an-inherent-trait-of-intelligent-beings-even-his-love/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“Unnatural, unorthodox, amoral: those pretensions crumble when confronted by true happiness. You shouldn't give another the authority to draw a line defining the boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/unnatural-unorthodox-amoral-those-pretensions-crumble-when-confronted/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“I was pregnable once,” Merill thought to contribute. She remembered how troublesome it made getting around, having a ripe belly. Couldn’t roll properly, couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/i-was-pregnable-once-merill-thought-to-contribute-she-remembered-how/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

> [“She set out for revenge, to run them through, to do what an elf, an elf must do.” The next verse was Merill’s to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/she-set-out-for-revenge-to-run-them-through-to-do-what-an-elf-an-elf/)

[Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

[Explore all 11 Darrell Drake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If the years have taught me one thing it's that those who care are always scarce. Those who genuinely care; not the acquaintances, false friends or those with similar aspirations. The few who seek your company, the souls who would plainly step off the world for you. Once you resolve to ignore them, only regret will follow.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Darrell Drake"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it-s-that-those-who-care-are/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it-s-that-those-who-care-are/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/darrell-drake-40398_business_if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it_527477.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/darrell-drake-40398_business_if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it_527477.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/darrell-drake-40398_business_if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it_527477.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If the years have taught me one thing it's that those who care are always scarce. Those who genuinely care…” — Darrell Drake",
                "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": "Darrell Drake",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If the years have taught me...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it-s-that-those-who-care-are/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it-s-that-those-who-care-are/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
