--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s a pity we cannot put an old head on…" description: "\"“It’s a pity we cannot put an old head on young shoulders, or you could be wise, too. But someday you will understand that nobody passes through this w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/elizabeth-gilbert-131_pity_it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on_446040.jpg" --- # It’s a pity we cannot put an old head on young shoulders… ![“It’s a pity we cannot put an old head on young shoulders, or you could be wise, too. But someday you will understand that nobody passes through this world without suffering—no matter what you may think of them and their supposed good fortune.” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/elizabeth-gilbert-131_pity_it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on_446040.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/elizabeth-gilbert-131_pity_it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on_446040.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/elizabeth-gilbert-131_pity_it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on_446040.jpg) > ““It’s a pity we cannot put an old head on young shoulders, or you could be wise, too. But someday you will understand that nobody passes through this world without suffering—no matter what you may think of them and their supposed good fortune.”” [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wisdom is not tied to age; suffering is universal, and understanding comes with experience. **In simple terms:** Age doesn’t guarantee wisdom; everyone suffers. Key Takeaway Embrace empathy and learn from hardships. Themes wisdom human experience empathy Mood reflective empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - career setbacks - personal loss Key Concepts suffering growth perspective Questions to Reflect On - How does suffering shape your values? - Can you find wisdom in others’ hardships? A Different Perspective Might overlook individual differences in coping. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Someday Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/someday-understand-2466999/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Wise Someday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-someday-3902230/) [World suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-suffering/) ## Related quotes > [“someday you will understand that nobody passes through this world without suffering—no matter what you may think of them and their supposed good fortune.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/someday-you-will-understand-that-nobody-passes-through-this-world/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Perhaps, someday, someone will see and understand the real shape of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-fulger/perhaps-someday-someone-will-see-and-understand-the-real-shape-of-the/) [Mariana Fulger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-fulger/) > [“Someday you will understand that life can't flow as you always planned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-bennett-hopkins/someday-you-will-understand-that-life-can-t-flow-as-you-always-planned/) [Lee Bennett Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-bennett-hopkins/) > [“Someday, you will understand why it was free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/someday-you-will-understand-why-it-was-free/) [De philosopher DJ Kyos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/) > [Maybe someday you will understand, that something for nothing is everybody's plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/maybe-someday-you-will-understand-that-something-for-nothing-is/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [On September 11th, 2001, our world changed. As we remember 9/11 and those who lost their lives and loved ones, remember the world will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-september-11th-2001-our-world-changed-as-we-remember-9-11-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/although-the-world-is-full-of-suffering-it-is-also-full-of-the/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [If we could read the secret history of our enemies,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/if-we-could-read-the-secret-history-of-our-enemies/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [So much of the world's suffering results from the sinful action or inaction of ourselves and others. For example, people look at a famine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/so-much-of-the-world-s-suffering-results-from-the-sinful-action-or/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [In a word, man must create his own essence: it is in throwing himself into the world, suffering there, struggling there, that he gradually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/in-a-word-man-must-create-his-own-essence-it-is-in-throwing-himself/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [A human life is a schoolingAlthough the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it. for eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-keller/a-human-life-is-a-schoolingalthough-the-world-is-full-of-suffering-it/) [Gottfried Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-keller/) > [The Islamic world is suffering not only because of external oppression but also because of the loss of its own dignity, of its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/the-islamic-world-is-suffering-not-only-because-of-external/) [Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/) > [“I believe we have inherited a world of suffering that must be transcended through the development of pointed direction, fostering an evolution to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-jackson/i-believe-we-have-inherited-a-world-of-suffering-that-must-be/) [Albert Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-jackson/) > [Fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/fear-of-suffering-is-worse-than-the-suffering-itself/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [A consoling thought: what matters is not what we do, but the spirit in which we do it. Others suffer too; so much so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/a-consoling-thought-what-matters-is-not-what-we-do-but-the-spirit-in/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) ## More by Elizabeth Gilbert > [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. He's just the guy who's like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-your-friend-my-husband-is-my-best-friend-he-s-not-the-mirror/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Not to mention that I have finally arrived at that age where a woman starts to question whether the wisest way to get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/not-to-mention-that-i-have-finally-arrived-at-that-age-where-a-woman/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“The Buddha taught that all human suffering is rooted in desire. Don't we all know this to be true? Any of us who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-buddha-taught-that-all-human-suffering-is-rooted-in-desire-don-t/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [ “And while \[we\] do have possibilities that are vast and magnificent and almost infinite in scope, it's important to remember that our choice-rich lives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/and-while-we-do-have-possibilities-that-are-vast-and-magnificent-and/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/learn-your-way-around-loneliness-make-a-map-of-it-sit-with-it-for/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [If we never leave our house except to drive to work, do we need to be even remotely aware of this powerful, humbling, extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-we-never-leave-our-house-except-to-drive-to-work-do-we-need-to-be/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Clearing out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/clearing-out-all-your-misery-gets-you-out-of-the-way-you-cease-being/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,...The madness of this planet is largely a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-ingredients-of-both-darkness-and-light-are-equally-present-in-all/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“His spelling was several degrees beyond arbitrary, and his punctuation brought reason to sigh with unhappiness. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/his-spelling-was-several-degrees-beyond-arbitrary-and-his-punctuation/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Before you realize this truth, say the Yogis, you will always be in despair, a notion nicely expressed in this exasperated line from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/before-you-realize-this-truth-say-the-yogis-you-will-always-be-in/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I actually have a great deal of respect for antidepressants; I think they can be enormously mighty tools toward recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-actually-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-antidepressants-i-think/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) [Explore all 1,156 Elizabeth Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## More Pity quotes > [It's a pity that there's such a negative connotation about paying for sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-sprinkle/it-s-a-pity-that-there-s-such-a-negative-connotation-about-paying-for/) [Annie Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-sprinkle/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [It is a pity that, commonly, more care is had--yea, and that among very wise men--to find out rather a cunning man for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/it-is-a-pity-that-commonly-more-care-is-had-yea-and-that-among-very/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“How dare I, Mrs Reed? How dare I? Because it is the truth. You think I have no feelings, and that I can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/how-dare-i-mrs-reed-how-dare-i-because-it-is-the-truth-you-think-i/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [Pity is cruel. Pity destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/pity-is-cruel-pity-destroys/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/whoever-will-not-love-his-enemies-cannot-know-the-lord-and-the/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [Pity the planet, all joy gone from this sweet volcanic cone; peace to our children when they fall in small war on the heel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lowell/pity-the-planet-all-joy-gone-from-this-sweet-volcanic-cone-peace-to/) [Robert Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lowell/) > [Please dont say you dont miss him. Just to pity me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-yap/please-dont-say-you-dont-miss-him-just-to-pity-me/) [William Yap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-yap/) > [It's really a pity that there are observers who view political events like comic strips. There has to be a Zorro, there has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sankara/it-s-really-a-pity-that-there-are-observers-who-view-political-events/) [Thomas Sankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sankara/) > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [The only justice is to follow the sincere intuition of the soul, angry or gentle. Anger is just, and pity is just, but judgement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-justice-is-to-follow-the-sincere-intuition-of-the-soul-angry/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not like studying German, where you mull along, in a groping, uncertain way, for thirty years; and at last, just as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-not-like-studying-german-where-you-mull-along-in-a-groping/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [“Self-pity is the worst disability a person can have, Callie. It's crippling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-terrell/self-pity-is-the-worst-disability-a-person-can-have-callie-it-s/) [Shelley Terrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-terrell/) [Browse all 2,046 Pity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s a pity we cannot put an old head on young shoulders, or you could be wise, too. But someday you will understand that nobody passes through this world without suffering—no matter what you may think of them and their supposed good fortune.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elizabeth Gilbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on-young-shoulders-or-you-could/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Pity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on-young-shoulders-or-you-could/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/elizabeth-gilbert-131_pity_it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on_446040.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/elizabeth-gilbert-131_pity_it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on_446040.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/elizabeth-gilbert-131_pity_it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on_446040.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It’s a pity we cannot put an old head on young shoulders, or you could be wise, too. But someday you will…” — Elizabeth Gilbert", "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": "Elizabeth Gilbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It’s a pity we cannot put...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on-young-shoulders-or-you-could/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/it-s-a-pity-we-cannot-put-an-old-head-on-young-shoulders-or-you-could/#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 } } ] } ```