--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The nearer people approach old age the…" description: "\"The nearer people approach old age the closer they return to a semblance of childhood, until the time comes for them to depart this life, again like ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/desiderius-erasmus-3351_age_the-nearer-people-approach-old-age-the-c_2675510.jpg" --- # The nearer people approach old age the closer they return… ![“The nearer people approach old age the closer they return to a semblance of childhood, until the time comes for them to depart this life, again like children, neither tired of living nor aware of death.” quote by Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/desiderius-erasmus-3351_age_the-nearer-people-approach-old-age-the-c_2675510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/desiderius-erasmus-3351_age_the-nearer-people-approach-old-age-the-c_2675510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/desiderius-erasmus-3351_age_the-nearer-people-approach-old-age-the-c_2675510.jpg) > “The nearer people approach old age the closer they return to a semblance of childhood, until the time comes for them to depart this life, again like children, neither tired of living nor aware of death.” [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Old age often brings a child‑like innocence, and death approaches with similar simplicity. **In simple terms:** Aging returns us to childlike wonder. Key Takeaway Live with youthful curiosity. Themes age innocence death Mood contemplative melancholic Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - elder care - end‑of‑life planning - spiritual reflection Key Concepts life cycle philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does nostalgia affect your view of aging? - What can we learn from childlike perspectives? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex aging experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tired of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired-of-living/) ## Related quotes > [“We laughed harder than the humor deserved, which goes to show you no matter your age, you're closer to adolescence than you think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-landvik/we-laughed-harder-than-the-humor-deserved-which-goes-to-show-you-no/) [Lorna Landvik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorna-landvik/) > [When we drop fear, we can draw nearer to people, we can draw nearer to the earth, we can draw nearer to all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/when-we-drop-fear-we-can-draw-nearer-to-people-we-can-draw-nearer-to/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The decision to let go of that which has completed its course in your experience is even more important than the decision to welcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-charles-barker/the-decision-to-let-go-of-that-which-has-completed-its-course-in-your/) [Raymond Charles Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-charles-barker/) > [“Until the mists descend and I depart from this life to the next, you shall have a part of me. 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