---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is the nature of a man as he grows…"
description: "\"It is the nature of a man as he grows older, a small bridge intime, toprotest againstchange, particularlychangefor the better.\" — John Steinbeck"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/john-steinbeck-71_bridge_it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-ol_2529114.jpg"
---

#  It is the nature of a man as he grows older, a small…

![“It is the nature of a man as he grows older, a small bridge intime, toprotest againstchange, particularlychangefor the better.” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/john-steinbeck-71_bridge_it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-ol_2529114.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/john-steinbeck-71_bridge_it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-ol_2529114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/john-steinbeck-71_bridge_it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-ol_2529114.jpg)

> “It is the nature of a man as he grows older, a small bridge intime, toprotest againstchange, particularlychangefor the better.”

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

## About This Quote

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

Aging brings a desire to challenge the status quo for improvement.

**In simple terms:** Older people often resist change to improve things.

Key Takeaway

Embrace constructive dissent as you age.

Themes

growth resistance improvement

Mood

contemplative hopeful

Type

literary motivational

When to use this quote

- career transitions
- family dynamics
- community activism
- personal development

Key Concepts

change age protest

Questions to Reflect On

- What changes do you resist and why?
- How can you turn resistance into positive action?

A Different Perspective

Resistance can stem from fear, not just principle.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [As a man grows older, his ability to sit still and follow indoor occupations increases. He grows vespertinal in his habits as theevening of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-a-man-grows-older-his-ability-to-sit-still-and-follow-indoor/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [As a man grows older it is harder and harder to frighten him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/as-a-man-grows-older-it-is-harder-and-harder-to-frighten-him/)

[Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/)

> [It is the nature of a person as he/she grows older to protest against change, particularly changes for the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-is-the-nature-of-a-person-as-he-she-grows-older-to-protest-against/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [It is the nature of a man as he grows older- to protest against change, particularly changes for the better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-older-to-protest-against-change/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Never burn bridges - You never know who you will need help from in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-burn-bridges-you-never-know-who-you-will-need-help-from-in-the/)

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

> [Faith becomes a bridge between where I am and where I want to go- it is a substance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-becomes-a-bridge-between-where-i-am-and-where-i-want-to-go-it/)

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

> [Sometimes you have to burn bridges to keep pests from following you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/sometimes-you-have-to-burn-bridges-to-keep-pests-from-following-you/)

Author Name

> [Bridge shortens the roads; wisdom does the same!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bridge-shortens-the-roads-wisdom-does-the-same/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [Winter makes a bridge between one year and another and, in this case, one century and the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-goldsworthy/winter-makes-a-bridge-between-one-year-and-another-and-in-this-case/)

[Andy Goldsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-goldsworthy/)

> [Sometimes burning bridges isn't a bad thing. It prevents you from going back to a place you should never have been to begin with...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-burning-bridges-isn-t-a-bad-thing-it-prevents-you-from/)

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

> [It was voters in the Rust Belt that cared about their roads being rebuilt, their highways, their bridges. They felt like the world was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/it-was-voters-in-the-rust-belt-that-cared-about-their-roads-being/)

[Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/)

> [Be careful of the bridges you burn, because one day, you might need to cross that same bridge to get where you need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/be-careful-of-the-bridges-you-burn-because-one-day-you-might-need-to/)

[Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/)

> [Nobody can build the bridge for you to walk across the river of life, no one but you yourself alone. There are, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-can-build-the-bridge-for-you-to-walk-across-the-river-of-life/)

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

> [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/)

[Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/)

> [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/)

[Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/)

## More by John Steinbeck

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

[Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

## More Bridge quotes

> [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/)

[Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/)

> [“Art is what gets us beyond what is real. It makes reality more real. It also shortens the distance we gotta travel to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-pritchett/art-is-what-gets-us-beyond-what-is-real-it-makes-reality-more-real-it/)

[Laura Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-pritchett/)

> [People who have lost relationships often wonder why they can't just let it be water under the bridge. It is water under the bridge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-fairley/people-who-have-lost-relationships-often-wonder-why-they-can-t-just/)

[Grant Fairley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-fairley/)

> [Telling your story is transformative. For both the storyteller and their audience, a new bridge to understanding is created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-burton/telling-your-story-is-transformative-for-both-the-storyteller-and/)

[Susan Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-burton/)

> [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/)

[Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/)

> [“Mr Benz, the parapet of an Italian bridge doesn’t look like the proper place for you,” said Chase.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefania-mattana/mr-benz-the-parapet-of-an-italian-bridge-doesn-t-look-like-the-proper/)

[Stefania Mattana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefania-mattana/)

> [I find that it's best to take one step at a time and cross each bridge as they come to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stuhlbarg/i-find-that-it-s-best-to-take-one-step-at-a-time-and-cross-each/)

[Michael Stuhlbarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stuhlbarg/)

> [“Houses built on bridges are scandals. A bridge wants to not be. If it could choose its shape, a bridge would be no shape,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/houses-built-on-bridges-are-scandals-a-bridge-wants-to-not-be-if-it/)

[China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/)

> [Bridge the gap with closed minds though careful dissection of ideas and solid presentation of fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximillian-degenerez/bridge-the-gap-with-closed-minds-though-careful-dissection-of-ideas/)

[Maximillian Degenerez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximillian-degenerez/)

> [I remember, many years ago, coming over the Brooklyn Bridge in the night and seeing the skyline of Manhattan, with the Twin Towers. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/i-remember-many-years-ago-coming-over-the-brooklyn-bridge-in-the/)

[Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/)

> [My parents wielded disposal cameras and Polaroids with the best of them, occasionally begging for at least one decent photo of my brother and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pilon/my-parents-wielded-disposal-cameras-and-polaroids-with-the-best-of/)

[Mary Pilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pilon/)

> [“Love is a bridge between your future and mine. A bridge constructed entirely out of trust, honesty, and in our case, wooden planks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/love-is-a-bridge-between-your-future-and-mine-a-bridge-constructed/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [What I do is I'm trying to bridge the gap between yoga and fitness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-ingber/what-i-do-is-i-m-trying-to-bridge-the-gap-between-yoga-and-fitness/)

[Mandy Ingber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-ingber/)

> [Historically, Hong Kong has served as an important bridge between China and the world. Our freedoms, stability and the rule of law have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/historically-hong-kong-has-served-as-an-important-bridge-between/)

[Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/)

> [Tower Bridge would make a cool house. I like the idea of living over the river.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-broad/tower-bridge-would-make-a-cool-house-i-like-the-idea-of-living-over/)

[Stuart Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-broad/)

Browse all 736 Bridge quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It is the nature of a man as he grows older, a small bridge intime, toprotest againstchange, particularlychangefor the better.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Steinbeck"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-older-a-small-bridge-intime/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bridge"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-older-a-small-bridge-intime/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/john-steinbeck-71_bridge_it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-ol_2529114.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/john-steinbeck-71_bridge_it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-ol_2529114.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/john-steinbeck-71_bridge_it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-ol_2529114.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It is the nature of a man as he grows older, a small bridge intime, toprotest againstchange…” — John Steinbeck",
                "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": "John Steinbeck",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It is the nature of a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-older-a-small-bridge-intime/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-is-the-nature-of-a-man-as-he-grows-older-a-small-bridge-intime/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
