--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If at eighty you're not a cripple or an…" description: "\"“If at eighty you're not a cripple or an invalid, if you have your health, if you still enjoy a good walk, a good meal (with all the trimmings), if you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ef/henry-miller-179_contentment_if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an_1743210.jpg" --- # If at eighty you're not a cripple or an invalid, if you… ![“If at eighty you're not a cripple or an invalid, if you have your health, if you still enjoy a good walk, a good meal (with all the trimmings), if you can sleep without first taking a pill, if birds and flowers, mountains and sea still inspire you, you are a most fortunate individual and you…” quote by Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ef/henry-miller-179_contentment_if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an_1743210.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ef/henry-miller-179_contentment_if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an_1743210.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ef/henry-miller-179_contentment_if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an_1743210.jpg) > ““If at eighty you're not a cripple or an invalid, if you have your health, if you still enjoy a good walk, a good meal (with all the trimmings), if you can sleep without first taking a pill, if birds and flowers, mountains and sea still inspire you, you are a most fortunate individual and you should get down on your knees morning and night and thank the good Lord for his savin' and keepin' power. If you are young in years but already weary in spirit, already on your way to becoming an automaton, it may do you good to say to your boss - under your breath, of course - "Fuck you, Jack! you don't own me." If you can whistle up your ass, if you can be turned on by a fetching bottom or a lovely pair of teats, if you can fall in love again and again, if you can forgive your parents for the crime of bringing you into the world, if you are content to get nowhere, just take each day as it comes, if you can forgive as well as forget, if you can keep from going sour, surly, bitter and cynical, man you've got it half licked.”” [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A celebration of health, gratitude, and personal freedom, urging appreciation of simple joys and rebellion against oppressive control. **In simple terms:** Health, gratitude, freedom are valuable. Key Takeaway Cherish health, stay grateful, resist oppression. Themes gratitude freedom rebellion health contentment Mood reflective defiant hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily life - workplace - personal relationships - aging - mental health Key Concepts Existentialism humanism stoicism Questions to Reflect On - What simple joys do you often overlook? - How can you balance gratitude with activism? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic issues that affect health and freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) [Fall in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-in-love/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Morning and night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning-and-night/) ## Related quotes > [The only time you truly become an adult is when you finally forgive your parents for being just as flawed as everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/the-only-time-you-truly-become-an-adult-is-when-you-finally-forgive/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) > [“If you can fall in love again and again, if you can forgive your parents for the crime of bringing you into the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/if-you-can-fall-in-love-again-and-again-if-you-can-forgive-your/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [To acknowledge, to accept, and to forgive one's parents - both what they gave and what they did not give, both one's dependence upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-kurtz/to-acknowledge-to-accept-and-to-forgive-one-s-parents-both-what-they/) [Ernest Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-kurtz/) > [If your boyfriend or girlfriend wrongs you don't tell your parents about it. You might forgive them, but your parents won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/if-your-boyfriend-or-girlfriend-wrongs-you-don-t-tell-your-parents/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“Did you know there are two kinds of people in this world? Those who forgive their parents, and those who don't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hunter/did-you-know-there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-this-world-those-who/) Lindsay Hunter > [Children start out loving their parents, but as they grow older and discover their parents are human, they become judgmental. And sometimes, when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/children-start-out-loving-their-parents-but-as-they-grow-older-and/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Walk good. Live good and ensure that with each step you take, you forge a path that someone will walk in and that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phileman-adolphus-wynter/walk-good-live-good-and-ensure-that-with-each-step-you-take-you-forge/) Phileman Adolphus Wynter > [I walk, walk, walk, walk. That's very good for your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/i-walk-walk-walk-walk-that-s-very-good-for-your-heart/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [In L.A., I see people who are always in their cars, always driving. I encourage them to walk more - walk to the post…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/in-l-a-i-see-people-who-are-always-in-their-cars-always-driving-i/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [A walk is as good as a home run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mccarver/a-walk-is-as-good-as-a-home-run/) [Tim McCarver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mccarver/) > [How do you walk from one place to another? What makes you want to walk someplace? Any place that you want to get out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaquelin-t-robertson/how-do-you-walk-from-one-place-to-another-what-makes-you-want-to-walk/) [Jaquelin T. Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaquelin-t-robertson/) > [“As a person of color in America, you need to fly to reach the hallowed gates of wealth and mainstream success while others can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wajahat-ali/as-a-person-of-color-in-america-you-need-to-fly-to-reach-the-hallowed/) Wajahat Ali > [A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dudley-white/a-vigorous-five-mile-walk-will-do-more-good-for-an-unhappy-but/) [Paul Dudley White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dudley-white/) > [Every thing,, good or bad will walk for my good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charis/every-thing-good-or-bad-will-walk-for-my-good/) Charis > [I used to receive virtual smiles, sweet morning and night greetings. Now all I have is silence, and a blistered heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-used-to-receive-virtual-smiles-sweet-morning-and-night-greetings/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) ## More by Henry Miller > [“I reached out for something to attach myself to—and I found nothing. But in reaching out, in the effort to grasp, to attach myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-reached-out-for-something-to-attach-myself-to-and-i-found-nothing/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“I saw the errors I had made and assumed full responsibility for everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-saw-the-errors-i-had-made-and-assumed-full-responsibility-for/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [The monstrous thing is not that men have created roses out of this dung heap, but that, for some reason or other, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-monstrous-thing-is-not-that-men-have-created-roses-out-of-this/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [They never opened the door which leads to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/they-never-opened-the-door-which-leads-to-the-soul/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“(...)I decided to let myself drift with the tide, to make not the least resistance to fate, no matter in what form it presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-decided-to-let-myself-drift-with-the-tide-to-make-not-the-least/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“If it be knowledge or wisdom one is seeking, then one had better go direct to the source. And the source is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-it-be-knowledge-or-wisdom-one-is-seeking-then-one-had-better-go/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“In the egocentric prism the helpless victim is walled in by the very light which he refracts. The ego dies in its own glass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/in-the-egocentric-prism-the-helpless-victim-is-walled-in-by-the-very/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“When one spends what he has on himself, when one has a thoroughly good time with his own money, people are apt to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/when-one-spends-what-he-has-on-himself-when-one-has-a-thoroughly-good/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [Paint what you like and die happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/paint-what-you-like-and-die-happy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [She may be lying in bed reading a book, she may be making love with a prize fighter, or she may be running like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/she-may-be-lying-in-bed-reading-a-book-she-may-be-making-love-with-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“And no one sets about saving the world unless he has first experienced the miracle of personal salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/and-no-one-sets-about-saving-the-world-unless-he-has-first/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“He looks about the room at the few sticks of furniture, at the dirty bed sheets and the wash basin with the dirty water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/he-looks-about-the-room-at-the-few-sticks-of-furniture-at-the-dirty/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Since then, of course, I have discovered what every madman in Paris discovers sooner of later; that there are no ready made infernos for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/since-then-of-course-i-have-discovered-what-every-madman-in-paris/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Looking back upon my career, I see myself as a person capable of undertaking almost any task, any vocation. It was the monotony and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/looking-back-upon-my-career-i-see-myself-as-a-person-capable-of/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“The word in your mouth is anarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-word-in-your-mouth-is-anarchy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) [Explore all 894 Henry Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## More Contentment quotes > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I may not have everything I want in life but I have all I will ever need to make my life complete, my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-may-not-have-everything-i-want-in-life-but-i-have-all-i-will-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can find as much happiness at the bottom of the ladder of success as you can at the top, then you understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/if-you-can-find-as-much-happiness-at-the-bottom-of-the-ladder-of/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [There are two sorts of content; one is connected with exertion, the other with habits of indolence. The first is a virtue; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/there-are-two-sorts-of-content-one-is-connected-with-exertion-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [“When we perform at our highest level of potential, we are content. Because we have given I best in what we enjoy doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-barrier/when-we-perform-at-our-highest-level-of-potential-we-are-content/) [Ellen J. Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-barrier/) > [Money is made at Christmas out of holly and mistletoe, but who save the vendors would greatly care if no green branch were procurable?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/money-is-made-at-christmas-out-of-holly-and-mistletoe-but-who-save/) [George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/) > [My crown is in my heart, not on my head; not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, nor to be seen: my crown is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-crown-is-in-my-heart-not-on-my-head-not-decked-with-diamonds-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Most of us are not content with our lot because we want a lot more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianette-carbito/most-of-us-are-not-content-with-our-lot-because-we-want-a-lot-more/) [Marianette Carbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianette-carbito/) > [Pleasure simply brings more craving, but the problem is that we try to get contentment through pleasure. True contentment can only come through service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/pleasure-simply-brings-more-craving-but-the-problem-is-that-we-try-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Every human always wants more. We're never satisfied. True happiness doesn't come until we're fully satisfied with what we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-human-always-wants-more-we-re-never-satisfied-true-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was so nearly happy. There remained only a tiny something, something unexplained and inexplicable that buzzed in my ear when the lights were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-rooney/i-was-so-nearly-happy-there-remained-only-a-tiny-something-something/) Jennie Rooney > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/one-often-learns-more-from-ten-days-of-agony-than-ten-years-of/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Stop complaining and start accepting, everything happens for a reason, you may not notice the importance of the things that you have now, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/stop-complaining-and-start-accepting-everything-happens-for-a-reason/) Hemantsmarty > [True intimacy is the experience of real acceptance and authentic vulnerability without feeling the need to apologize or fear rejection. The freedom to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-blake-michiels/true-intimacy-is-the-experience-of-real-acceptance-and-authentic/) [Jordan Blake Michiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-blake-michiels/) [Browse all 1,355 Contentment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If at eighty you're not a cripple or an invalid, if you have your health, if you still enjoy a good walk, a good meal (with all the trimmings), if you can sleep without first taking a pill, if birds and flowers, mountains and sea still inspire you, you are a most fortunate individual and you should get down on your knees morning and night and thank the good Lord for his savin' and keepin' power. If you are young in years but already weary in spirit, already on your way to becoming an automaton, it may do you good to say to your boss - under your breath, of course - \"Fuck you, Jack! you don't own me.\" If you can whistle up your ass, if you can be turned on by a fetching bottom or a lovely pair of teats, if you can fall in love again and again, if you can forgive your parents for the crime of bringing you into the world, if you are content to get nowhere, just take each day as it comes, if you can forgive as well as forget, if you can keep from going sour, surly, bitter and cynical, man you've got it half licked.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an-invalid-if-you-have-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contentment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an-invalid-if-you-have-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ef/henry-miller-179_contentment_if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an_1743210.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ef/henry-miller-179_contentment_if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an_1743210.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ef/henry-miller-179_contentment_if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an_1743210.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If at eighty you're not a cripple or an invalid, if you have your health, if you still enjoy a good walk, a…” — Henry Miller", "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": "Henry Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If at eighty you're not a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an-invalid-if-you-have-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-at-eighty-you-re-not-a-cripple-or-an-invalid-if-you-have-your/#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 } } ] } ```