--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The really frightening thing about middle…" description: "\"“The really frightening thing about middle age is that you know you'll grow out of it. ”\" — Doris Day" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/doris-day-9634_aging_the-really-frightening-thing-about-middl_3049564.jpg" --- # The really frightening thing about middle age is that you… ![“The really frightening thing about middle age is that you know you'll grow out of it.” quote by Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/doris-day-9634_aging_the-really-frightening-thing-about-middl_3049564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/doris-day-9634_aging_the-really-frightening-thing-about-middl_3049564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/doris-day-9634_aging_the-really-frightening-thing-about-middl_3049564.jpg) > ““The really frightening thing about middle age is that you know you'll grow out of it. ”” [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Middle age is unsettling because it promises eventual outgrowing, implying impermanence and loss of identity. **In simple terms:** Middle age feels scary as it passes. Key Takeaway Embrace change and find new purpose. Themes aging identity change uncertainty Mood nostalgic hopeful Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - career shift - retirement - parenting - health concerns Key Concepts life transition self‑redefinition Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of aging worry you? - How can you redefine yourself now? A Different Perspective Fear of aging can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Middle age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-age/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [The really frightening thing about being middle age is the knowledge that you'll grow out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/the-really-frightening-thing-about-being-middle-age-is-the-knowledge/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [The really frightening thing about middle age is the knowledge that you'll grow out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/the-really-frightening-thing-about-middle-age-is-the-knowledge-that/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [You're not allowed to step out of whatever the rules are, politically, or socially, and they'll get you for it, they'll hunt you down.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-west/you-re-not-allowed-to-step-out-of-whatever-the-rules-are-politically/) [Timothy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-west/) > [Considering how dangerous everything is, nothing is really very frightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/considering-how-dangerous-everything-is-nothing-is-really-very/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I think for really good-hearted people, that idea of putting yourself in the shoes of a monster to figure out why they acted that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-for-really-good-hearted-people-that-idea-of-putting-yourself/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [The only thing we all agree on, virtually every poet in this country, is that this Administration is really frightening, and we want something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hamill/the-only-thing-we-all-agree-on-virtually-every-poet-in-this-country/) [Sam Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hamill/) > [I think Shakespeare is really the one. Words as music and music as words. Everything he wrote was good, which is really frightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-van-vliet/i-think-shakespeare-is-really-the-one-words-as-music-and-music-as/) [Don Van Vliet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-van-vliet/) > [“The frightening thing is that, to enter hell, all one has to do is nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-c-wilson/the-frightening-thing-is-that-to-enter-hell-all-one-has-to-do-is/) [Jared C. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-c-wilson/) > [Fly cross the ocean, sing for the queen But the most frightening thing is you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmine-sullivan/fly-cross-the-ocean-sing-for-the-queen-but-the-most-frightening-thing/) [Jazmine Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmine-sullivan/) > [Each Chinese person is a kind of replica of the next one and that is a very frightening thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/each-chinese-person-is-a-kind-of-replica-of-the-next-one-and-that-is/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I'd be afraid of what would happen after. Where would I go? What would I do? I don´t want to stop existing. (...) That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-meadows/i-d-be-afraid-of-what-would-happen-after-where-would-i-go-what-would/) [Jodi Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-meadows/) > [“The most frightening thing in the world is our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-frightening-thing-in-the-world-is-our-own-self/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [What I saw wasn't a ghost. It was simply--myself. I can never forget how terrified I was that night, and whenever I remember it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/what-i-saw-wasn-t-a-ghost-it-was-simply-myself-i-can-never-forget-how/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“What a frightening thing is the human, a mass of gauges and dials and registers, and we can read only a few and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/what-a-frightening-thing-is-the-human-a-mass-of-gauges-and-dials-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [A self is a frightening thing to waste, it's the lens through which one's whole life is viewed, and few people are willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/a-self-is-a-frightening-thing-to-waste-it-s-the-lens-through-which/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) ## More by Doris Day > [DAY: I have a good job, a lovely apartment, I go out with very nice men to the best places, the finest restaurants, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/day-i-have-a-good-job-a-lovely-apartment-i-go-out-with-very-nice-men/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [Some of the downbeat pictures, in my opinion, should never be made at all. Most of them are made for personal satisfaction, to impress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/some-of-the-downbeat-pictures-in-my-opinion-should-never-be-made-at/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [The one radio voice that I listened to above others belonged to Ella Fitzgerald. There was a quality to her voice that fascinated me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/the-one-radio-voice-that-i-listened-to-above-others-belonged-to-ella/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [I always felt that making a living wasn't the easiest thing in the world, and I decided I was going straight ahead and try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/i-always-felt-that-making-a-living-wasn-t-the-easiest-thing-in-the/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [If so many people love me, how come I'm alone?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/if-so-many-people-love-me-how-come-i-m-alone/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [It has been said that the body is like an automobile - it's yours, but it isn't you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/it-has-been-said-that-the-body-is-like-an-automobile-it-s-yours-but/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [in the press, my sex life was something else again. I was Lady Bountiful of the Sheets. Some of the best fiction of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/in-the-press-my-sex-life-was-something-else-again-i-was-lady/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [Would you believe, I am still offered scripts and projects all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/would-you-believe-i-am-still-offered-scripts-and-projects-all-the-time/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [I liked being married instead of the girl who's looking for a guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/i-liked-being-married-instead-of-the-girl-who-s-looking-for-a-guy/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [If it's true that men are such beasts, this must account for the fact that most women are animal lovers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/if-it-s-true-that-men-are-such-beasts-this-must-account-for-the-fact/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [The really frightening thing about being middle age is the knowledge that you'll grow out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/the-really-frightening-thing-about-being-middle-age-is-the-knowledge/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [Older, younger, anyone can help. We've learned that our legislators listen, and people with passionate and thoughtful concerns make a difference every day. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/older-younger-anyone-can-help-we-ve-learned-that-our-legislators/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/i-have-found-that-when-you-are-deeply-troubled-there-are-things-you/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [When I see Liz Taylor with those Harry Winston boulders hanging from her neck I get nauseated. Not figuratively, but nauseated! All I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/when-i-see-liz-taylor-with-those-harry-winston-boulders-hanging-from/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) > [I had been involved in animal welfare groups, but DDAL presented an opportunity to actually create and pass legislation aimed at issues which really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/i-had-been-involved-in-animal-welfare-groups-but-ddal-presented-an/) [Doris Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) [Explore all 69 Doris Day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/) ## More Aging quotes > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [We'll never be as young as we are tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-ll-never-be-as-young-as-we-are-tonight/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [“You could see the signs of female aging as diseased, especially if you had a vested interest in making women too see them your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/you-could-see-the-signs-of-female-aging-as-diseased-especially-if-you/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [“It takes maturity to be able to laugh like a child again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moffat-machingura/it-takes-maturity-to-be-able-to-laugh-like-a-child-again/) [Moffat Machingura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moffat-machingura/) > [Seek ye counsel of the aged for their eyes have looked on the faces of the years and their ears have hardened to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/seek-ye-counsel-of-the-aged-for-their-eyes-have-looked-on-the-faces/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Growing old-it's not nice, but it's interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/growing-old-it-s-not-nice-but-it-s-interesting/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [I just want to be Patty McCormack. I want to spend every year aging the way she has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-just-want-to-be-patty-mccormack-i-want-to-spend-every-year-aging/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Maturity is reached the day we don't need to be lied to about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-yerby/maturity-is-reached-the-day-we-don-t-need-to-be-lied-to-about-anything/) [Frank Yerby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-yerby/) [Browse all 2,792 Aging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The really frightening thing about middle age is that you know you'll grow out of it. ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Doris Day" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/the-really-frightening-thing-about-middle-age-is-that-you-know-you-ll/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/the-really-frightening-thing-about-middle-age-is-that-you-know-you-ll/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/doris-day-9634_aging_the-really-frightening-thing-about-middl_3049564.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/doris-day-9634_aging_the-really-frightening-thing-about-middl_3049564.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/doris-day-9634_aging_the-really-frightening-thing-about-middl_3049564.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The really frightening thing about middle age is that you know you'll grow out of it.” — Doris Day", "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": "Doris Day", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-day/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The really frightening thing about middle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/the-really-frightening-thing-about-middle-age-is-that-you-know-you-ll/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-day/the-really-frightening-thing-about-middle-age-is-that-you-know-you-ll/#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 } } ] } ```