---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's funny, when you're a child you think…"
description: "\"It's funny, when you're a child you think time will never go by, but when you hit about twenty, time passes like you're on the fast train to Memphis. I..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/fannie-flagg-3065_children_it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think_401033.png"
---

#  It's funny, when you're a child you think time will never…

![“It's funny, when you're a child you think time will never go by, but when you hit about twenty, time passes like you're on the fast train to Memphis. I guess life just slips up on everybody. It sure did on me.” quote by Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/fannie-flagg-3065_children_it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think_401033.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/fannie-flagg-3065_children_it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think_401033.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/fannie-flagg-3065_children_it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think_401033.png)

> “It's funny, when you're a child you think time will never go by, but when you hit about twenty, time passes like you're on the fast train to Memphis. I guess life just slips up on everybody. It sure did on me.”

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

## About This Quote

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

Youth perceives time as endless, but adulthood reveals its rapid passage, reminding us that life is fleeting and often beyond our control.

**In simple terms:** Kids think time lasts forever; adults feel it rush.

Key Takeaway

Cherish moments before they slip away.

Themes

time mortality reflection

Mood

nostalgic reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal relationships
- health decisions
- travel planning

Key Concepts

impermanence subjective perception

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you notice time changing as you age?
- What habits help you savor the present?

A Different Perspective

A fast‑train metaphor may oversimplify complex life rhythms.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Memphis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memphis/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/)

## Related quotes

> [“It's funny, when you're a child you think time will never go by, but when you hit about twenty, time passes like you're on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think-time-will-never-go-by-but-2/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“When you're a child you think time will never go by, but when you hit about twenty, time passes like you're on the fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/when-you-re-a-child-you-think-time-will-never-go-by-but-when-you-hit/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“Time passes fast when you’re not in step. If you think for a moment that you can get it back, wake up—you can’t. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandi-lynn/time-passes-fast-when-you-re-not-in-step-if-you-think-for-a-moment/)

[Mandi Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandi-lynn/)

> [The weeks go by so slow I almost think time passin backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-groom/the-weeks-go-by-so-slow-i-almost-think-time-passin-backwards/)

[Winston Groom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-groom/)

> [“And I think of how time passes so differently for different people. Mabel and Jacob, their months in Los Angeles, months full of doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lacour/and-i-think-of-how-time-passes-so-differently-for-different-people/)

[Nina LaCour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lacour/)

> [I don't want to sit on the sidelines and not value the gift of being here. Instead of the idea of time ticking away,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/i-don-t-want-to-sit-on-the-sidelines-and-not-value-the-gift-of-being/)

[Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/)

> [Well, we think that time "passes," flows past us, but what if it is we who move forward, from past to future, always discovering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/well-we-think-that-time-passes-flows-past-us-but-what-if-it-is-we-who/)

[Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/)

> [“In life, time can't stand still and it's unrealistic to attempt to create a state where it does. There again, time passes all too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-north/in-life-time-can-t-stand-still-and-it-s-unrealistic-to-attempt-to/)

[Freya North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-north/)

> [If you're just letting the time pass at your job, it's just dead time and you'll never get it back. If at that job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/if-you-re-just-letting-the-time-pass-at-your-job-it-s-just-dead-time/)

[Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/)

> [The best thing about time passing is the privilege of running out of it, of watching the wave of mortality break over me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-manguso/the-best-thing-about-time-passing-is-the-privilege-of-running-out-of/)

[Sarah Manguso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-manguso/)

> [And how could we endure to live and let time pass if we were always crying for one day or one year to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-how-could-we-endure-to-live-and-let-time-pass-if-we-were-always/)

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

> [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [The good thing about not being drop-dead gorgeous is that as time passes, I don't have much to worry about. I have friends who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/the-good-thing-about-not-being-drop-dead-gorgeous-is-that-as-time/)

[Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/)

> [When I hear that I realize how quickly time passes and how everybody goes on their journeys and they're always unbelievable and they never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/when-i-hear-that-i-realize-how-quickly-time-passes-and-how-everybody/)

[Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/)

> [“Several times that day, the name or thought of Papa had come up. And each time, Francie had felt a flash of tenderness instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/several-times-that-day-the-name-or-thought-of-papa-had-come-up-and/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

## More by Fannie Flagg

> [“Oh it don't make no kind of sense. Big ol' ox like Grady won't sit next to a colored child. But he eats eggs-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/oh-it-don-t-make-no-kind-of-sense-big-ol-ox-like-grady-won-t-sit-next/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“Lately, it had been an endless procession of long, black nights and gray mornings, when her sense of failure swept over her like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/lately-it-had-been-an-endless-procession-of-long-black-nights-and/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“The little girl knew if she bit any member of her family, they would get rabies too, and she died without ever having been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/the-little-girl-knew-if-she-bit-any-member-of-her-family-they-would/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [Albert and I would spend hours and hours looking at them. Cleo had this big magnifying glass on his desk, and we'd find centipedes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/albert-and-i-would-spend-hours-and-hours-looking-at-them-cleo-had/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [There Lives More Faith in Honest Doubt, Believe Me, Than Half the Creeds. - Alfred, Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/there-lives-more-faith-in-honest-doubt-believe-me-than-half-the/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“Harris had done exactly what he had been told to do by the sexy dame from Oklahoma. After he had removed all of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/harris-had-done-exactly-what-he-had-been-told-to-do-by-the-sexy-dame/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“he surprised her by signing, “You are the most beautiful girl in the world.” Ander didn’t know it, but he had signed, “You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/he-surprised-her-by-signing-you-are-the-most-beautiful-girl-in-the/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“Because, honey," she said, "after you've been to the moon, where else is there to go?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/because-honey-she-said-after-you-ve-been-to-the-moon-where-else-is/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“Hello... is this Mrs. Fritzi Bevins?' 'Yes, it is.' 'From Pulaski, Wisconsin?' 'Yes.' 'Uh... you don't know me, but I recently received some papers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/hello-is-this-mrs-fritzi-bevins-yes-it-is-from-pulaski-wisconsin-yes/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“Lenore had pushed her into had been a complete disaster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/lenore-had-pushed-her-into-had-been-a-complete-disaster/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [Face it girls. I'm older and I have more insurance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/face-it-girls-i-m-older-and-i-have-more-insurance/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“I hate a book that jumps around. Also I can promise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/i-hate-a-book-that-jumps-around-also-i-can-promise/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“Remember, if people talk behind your back, it only that you are two steps ahead of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/remember-if-people-talk-behind-your-back-it-only-that-you-are-two/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [“Depression years come back to me now as the happy times, even though we were all struggling. We were happy and didn't know it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/depression-years-come-back-to-me-now-as-the-happy-times-even-though/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

> [One gal drank a can of floor wax and topped it off with a cup of Clorox, trying to separate herself from the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/one-gal-drank-a-can-of-floor-wax-and-topped-it-off-with-a-cup-of/)

[Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

[Explore all 137 Fannie Flagg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/)

## More Children quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/)

[Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/)

> [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/)

> [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/)

[Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/)

> [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/)

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

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/)

[Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/)

[Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/)

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

[Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's funny, when you're a child you think time will never go by, but when you hit about twenty, time passes like you're on the fast train to Memphis. I guess life just slips up on everybody. It sure did on me.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Fannie Flagg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think-time-will-never-go-by-but/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Children"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think-time-will-never-go-by-but/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/fannie-flagg-3065_children_it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think_401033.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/fannie-flagg-3065_children_it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think_401033.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/fannie-flagg-3065_children_it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think_401033.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's funny, when you're a child you think time will never go by, but when you hit about twenty, time passes…” — Fannie Flagg",
                "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": "Fannie Flagg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's funny, when you're a child...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think-time-will-never-go-by-but/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/it-s-funny-when-you-re-a-child-you-think-time-will-never-go-by-but/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
