---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'These things will become clear to you,'…"
description: "\"'These things will become clear to you,' said the old man gently, 'at least,' he added with slight doubt in his voice, 'clearer than they are at the mo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/douglas-adams-122_clear_these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-sa_1977835.png"
---

#  'These things will become clear to you,' said the old man…

![“'These things will become clear to you,' said the old man gently, 'at least,' he added with slight doubt in his voice, 'clearer than they are at the moment.'” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/douglas-adams-122_clear_these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-sa_1977835.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/douglas-adams-122_clear_these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-sa_1977835.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/douglas-adams-122_clear_these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-sa_1977835.png)

> “'These things will become clear to you,' said the old man gently, 'at least,' he added with slight doubt in his voice, 'clearer than they are at the moment.'”

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

## About This Quote

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

The old man offers reassurance while hinting at uncertainty, suggesting clarity will improve with time.

**In simple terms:** Clarity will come, but not immediately.

Key Takeaway

Patience for understanding.

Themes

knowledge uncertainty growth wisdom

Mood

thoughtful hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- learning new concepts
- making decisions
- personal development

Key Concepts

philosophical insight gradual revelation trust in process

Questions to Reflect On

- How does doubt affect confidence?
- When does clarity become useful?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Statistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statistics/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/)

## Related quotes

> [A habit leads a man so gently in the beginning that he does not perceive he is led - with what silken threads and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/a-habit-leads-a-man-so-gently-in-the-beginning-that-he-does-not/)

[Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/)

> [I am not really breaking any rules. Charlie said I could never take another step through the door again... I came in through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-am-not-really-breaking-any-rules-charlie-said-i-could-never-take/)

[Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/)

> [All the same, I should like it all plain and clear," said he obstinately, putting on his business manner (usually reserved for people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-the-same-i-should-like-it-all-plain-and-clear-said-he-obstinately/)

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

> [Is that clear?" said Borcht "as clear as pea soup" I said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/is-that-clear-said-borcht-as-clear-as-pea-soup-i-said/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [We're clear," she said. "You're kind of a psycho. I get that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/we-re-clear-she-said-you-re-kind-of-a-psycho-i-get-that/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [“I want a couple of things clear,” he said quietly. “First…I think you’re beautiful. You’ve always been beautiful, and nothing changes that.” Laying his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiloh-walker/i-want-a-couple-of-things-clear-he-said-quietly-first-i-think-you-re/)

[Shiloh Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiloh-walker/)

> [I learned that working out gives me a space to get clear. It's not just about the body. It gives me space to process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/i-learned-that-working-out-gives-me-a-space-to-get-clear-it-s-not/)

[Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/)

> [You have moments of clarity, things become clear to you that you didn't understand before. But there's never any making ends meet or finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/you-have-moments-of-clarity-things-become-clear-to-you-that-you-didn/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [As Im writing, certain things become clear to me and certain things begin to feel right and make sense. The pieces start to fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/as-im-writing-certain-things-become-clear-to-me-and-certain-things/)

[Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/)

> [Don't ever postpone things - that was very clear in our family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-fosse/don-t-ever-postpone-things-that-was-very-clear-in-our-family/)

[Nicole Fosse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-fosse/)

> [One of the things that became clear, and which was actually rather disturbing, was the fact that there was a view which was being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/one-of-the-things-that-became-clear-and-which-was-actually-rather/)

[Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/)

> [“Remember, things are never clear until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/remember-things-are-never-clear-until-it-s-too-late/)

[Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/)

> [Explanation by the tongue makes most things clear, But love unexplained is clearer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/explanation-by-the-tongue-makes-most-things-clear-but-love/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [And then many things became very clear... we learned perfectly that the life of a single human being is worth millions of times more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-then-many-things-became-very-clear-we-learned-perfectly-that-the/)

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

> [There is nothing of permanent value (putting aside a few human affections) nothing that satisfies quiet reflection--except the sense of having worked according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/there-is-nothing-of-permanent-value-putting-aside-a-few-human/)

[Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/)

## More by Douglas Adams

> [2,000 years ago one man got nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be if everyone was nice to each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/2-000-years-ago-one-man-got-nailed-to-a-tree-for-saying-how-great-it/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [What a wonderfully exciting cough,' said the little man, quite startled by it, 'do you mind if I join you?' And with that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/what-a-wonderfully-exciting-cough-said-the-little-man-quite-startled/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [The technology involved in making anything invisible is so infinitely complex that nine hundred and ninety-nine billion, nine hundred and ninety-nine million, nine hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-technology-involved-in-making-anything-invisible-is-so-infinitely/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [One is never alone with a rubber duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/one-is-never-alone-with-a-rubber-duck/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/this-must-be-thursday-i-never-could-get-the-hang-of-thursdays/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [There are some oddities in the perspective with which we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/there-are-some-oddities-in-the-perspective-with-which-we-see-the-world/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [“Eight hours West sat a man alone on a beach mourning an inexplicable loss. He could only think of his loss in little packets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/eight-hours-west-sat-a-man-alone-on-a-beach-mourning-an-inexplicable/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [“The Universe, the whole infinite Universe. The infinite suns, the infinite distances between them, and yourself an invisible dot on an invisible dot, infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-universe-the-whole-infinite-universe-the-infinite-suns-the/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/any-man-who-can-hitch-the-length-and-breadth-of-the-galaxy-rough-it/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [ Does God know he \[exists\]?" "Of course he does. Otherwise, you could not have asked the question, and I could not have answered. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/does-god-know-he-exists-of-course-he-does-otherwise-you-could-not/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [“When we told our guide that we didn't want to go to all the tourist places he took us instead to the places where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/when-we-told-our-guide-that-we-didn-t-want-to-go-to-all-the-tourist/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [“But Douglas was a genius, because he saw the world differently, and more importantly, he could communicate the world he saw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/but-douglas-was-a-genius-because-he-saw-the-world-differently-and/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [“The bits which did mean anything were often so wonderfully buried that no one could ever spot them slipping past in the avalanche of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-bits-which-did-mean-anything-were-often-so-wonderfully-buried/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [You come to me for advice, but you can't cope with anything you don't recognize. Hmmm. So we'll have to tell you something you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/you-come-to-me-for-advice-but-you-can-t-cope-with-anything-you-don-t/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

[Explore all 1,168 Douglas Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

## More Clear quotes

> [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/)

[Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/)

> [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/)

[Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/)

> [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/)

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

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/)

[Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/)

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/)

[Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/)

> [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/)

[Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/)

> [I try to listen to all music with an open head, a clear head, try not to say just because I don't know it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/i-try-to-listen-to-all-music-with-an-open-head-a-clear-head-try-not/)

[Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/)

> [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/)

[Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/)

> [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/)

[John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/)

> [I've always made it clear that I do not believe that global government is either necessary or feasible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-always-made-it-clear-that-i-do-not-believe-that-global/)

[Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/)

> [The moment it begins to question itself, the mind becomes so clear that it starts working with itself rather than with the body's identification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/the-moment-it-begins-to-question-itself-the-mind-becomes-so-clear/)

[Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/)

> [Alec Wilkinson is a spare, clear, and lucid writer who works in stylistic simplicity with material that is not simple at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/alec-wilkinson-is-a-spare-clear-and-lucid-writer-who-works-in/)

[Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/)

> [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

Browse all 7,410 Clear quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "'These things will become clear to you,' said the old man gently, 'at least,' he added with slight doubt in his voice, 'clearer than they are at the moment.'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Douglas Adams"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-said-the-old-man-gently-at/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Clear"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-said-the-old-man-gently-at/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/douglas-adams-122_clear_these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-sa_1977835.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/douglas-adams-122_clear_these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-sa_1977835.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae6/douglas-adams-122_clear_these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-sa_1977835.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“'These things will become clear to you,' said the old man gently, 'at least,' he added with slight doubt in…” — Douglas Adams",
                "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": "Douglas Adams",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "'These things will become clear to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-said-the-old-man-gently-at/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/these-things-will-become-clear-to-you-said-the-old-man-gently-at/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
