--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you survive long enough, you're…" description: "\"If you survive long enough, you're revered-rather like an old building.\" — Katharine Hepburn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/katharine-hepburn-2026_60th-birthday_if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revere_1309914.jpg" --- # If you survive long enough, you're revered-rather like an… ![“If you survive long enough, you're revered-rather like an old building.” quote by Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/katharine-hepburn-2026_60th-birthday_if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revere_1309914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/katharine-hepburn-2026_60th-birthday_if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revere_1309914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/katharine-hepburn-2026_60th-birthday_if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revere_1309914.jpg) > “If you survive long enough, you're revered-rather like an old building.” [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Longevity earns respect, likening a long life to an admired historic building. **In simple terms:** Old age brings reverence. Key Takeaway Value experience and the respect it garners. Themes age respect legacy wisdom longevity Mood respectful reflective admiring Type cultural social When to use this quote - career mentoring - historical preservation - elder care Key Concepts cultural heritage social esteem intergenerational respect Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor elders beyond admiration? - What lessons do long-lived individuals teach? A Different Perspective Respect can be superficial without genuine appreciation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Birthday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birthday/) [Funny old age birthday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-old-age-birthday/) [Milestone birthday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/milestone-birthday/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Old birthday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-birthday/) [Old buildings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-buildings/) ## Related quotes > [The best birthdays of all are those that haven't arrived yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/the-best-birthdays-of-all-are-those-that-haven-t-arrived-yet/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [One starts to get young at the age of sixty and then it is too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/one-starts-to-get-young-at-the-age-of-sixty-and-then-it-is-too-late/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [The first forty years of our life give the text, the next thirty furnish the commentary upon it, which enables us rightly to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-first-forty-years-of-our-life-give-the-text-the-next-thirty/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Its better to wear out than to rust out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cumberland/its-better-to-wear-out-than-to-rust-out/) Richard Cumberland > [If we could be twice young and twice old we could correct all our mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/if-we-could-be-twice-young-and-twice-old-we-could-correct-all-our/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Today you are you! That is truer than true!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/today-you-are-you-that-is-truer-than-true/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > ['8 Mile' is so revered, it's like, everywhere I go, somebody's talking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-benson-miller/8-mile-is-so-revered-it-s-like-everywhere-i-go-somebody-s-talking/) [Omar Benson Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-benson-miller/) > [When I passed forty I dropped pretense, 'cause men like women who got some sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/when-i-passed-forty-i-dropped-pretense-cause-men-like-women-who-got/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The longer an event is anticipated-a milestone birthday, an eclipse, a new millennium-the more likely it is to be an anti-climax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-waterhouse/the-longer-an-event-is-anticipated-a-milestone-birthday-an-eclipse-a/) [Keith Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-waterhouse/) > [Time and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of 30.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/time-and-tide-wait-for-no-man-but-time-always-stands-still-for-a-2/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Pleas'd look forward, pleas'd to look behind,And count each birthday with a grateful mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/pleas-d-look-forward-pleas-d-to-look-behind-and-count-each-birthday/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Once I was looking through the kitchen window at dusk and I saw an old woman looking in. Suddenly the light changed and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-keane/once-i-was-looking-through-the-kitchen-window-at-dusk-and-i-saw-an/) Molly Keane > [Everyone who reaches a milestone birthday in their lives has an opportunity to truly appreciate the fact that presumably we have acquired all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/everyone-who-reaches-a-milestone-birthday-in-their-lives-has-an/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [You take all the experience and judgment of men over 50 out of the world and there wouldn't be enough left to run it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/you-take-all-the-experience-and-judgment-of-men-over-50-out-of-the/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [If I had to live again I would do exactly the same thing. Of course I have regrets, but if you are 60 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-moore/if-i-had-to-live-again-i-would-do-exactly-the-same-thing-of-course-i/) Christy Moore ## More by Katharine Hepburn > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [You give because you love and cannot help giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/you-give-because-you-love-and-cannot-help-giving/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [It's a bore - B-O-R-E - when you find you've begun to rot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/it-s-a-bore-b-o-r-e-when-you-find-you-ve-begun-to-rot/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Why slap them on the wrist with feather when you can belt them over the head with a sledgehammer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/why-slap-them-on-the-wrist-with-feather-when-you-can-belt-them-over/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Our Constitution was not intended to be used by ... any group to foist its personal religious beliefs on the rest of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/our-constitution-was-not-intended-to-be-used-by-any-group-to-foist/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [The only time I am ever miserable is when I do something just for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/the-only-time-i-am-ever-miserable-is-when-i-do-something-just-for-the/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [When I started out, I didn't have any desire to be an actress or to learn how to act. I just wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/when-i-started-out-i-didn-t-have-any-desire-to-be-an-actress-or-to/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [You don't pick who you fall in love with. There are so few people to love. It's hard for one adult to even like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/you-don-t-pick-who-you-fall-in-love-with-there-are-so-few-people-to/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get . . . Only with what you are expected to give. . . . Which is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/love-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-you-are-expecting-to-get-only-with/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Life is full of censorship. I cant spit in your eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/life-is-full-of-censorship-i-cant-spit-in-your-eye/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [I could peel you like a pear and god himself would see the justice in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-could-peel-you-like-a-pear-and-god-himself-would-see-the-justice-in/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [It is the plain women who know about love; the beautiful women are too busy being fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/it-is-the-plain-women-who-know-about-love-the-beautiful-women-are-too/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Acting is a nice childish profession - pretending you're someone else and, at the same time, selling yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/acting-is-a-nice-childish-profession-pretending-you-re-someone-else/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Who is Katharine Hepburn? It took me a long time to create that creature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/who-is-katharine-hepburn-it-took-me-a-long-time-to-create-that/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [“The country is like a great sponge—it finally absorbs you. Eventually you will get malaria or you will get dysentery and whatever you do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/the-country-is-like-a-great-sponge-it-finally-absorbs-you-eventually/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) [Explore all 190 Katharine Hepburn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) ## More 60th birthday quotes > [You've reached your 60th birthday, Bill To the year, the day, the hour You've been a lifelong country boy Along with Lily, your flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-walter-bratton/you-ve-reached-your-60th-birthday-bill-to-the-year-the-day-the-hour/) [John Walter Bratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-walter-bratton/) > [I don't know how you feel about old age... but in my case I didn't even see it coming. It hit me from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-about-old-age-but-in-my-case-i-didn-t-even/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I still find each day too short..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/i-still-find-each-day-too-short/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [A man of sixty has spent twenty years in bed and over three years in eating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/a-man-of-sixty-has-spent-twenty-years-in-bed-and-over-three-years-in/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [If we could be twice young and twice old we could correct all our mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/if-we-could-be-twice-young-and-twice-old-we-could-correct-all-our/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [The longer I live, the less future there is to worry about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/the-longer-i-live-the-less-future-there-is-to-worry-about/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [Some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-m-joad/some-turn-to-vinegar-but-the-best-improve-with-age/) [C. E. M. Joad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-m-joad/) > [Pleas'd look forward, pleas'd to look behind,And count each birthday with a grateful mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/pleas-d-look-forward-pleas-d-to-look-behind-and-count-each-birthday/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Every wrinkle has its story. You must have a lot of stories to tell. Happy 60th Birthday filled with lot of happiness and joy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-wrinkle-has-its-story-you-must-have-a-lot-of-stories-to-tell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [May your 60th Birthday be as magnificent as you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-your-60th-birthday-be-as-magnificent-as-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Or hast thou known the world so long in vain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/or-hast-thou-known-the-world-so-long-in-vain/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Wishing you all the best in your 60th Birthday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wishing-you-all-the-best-in-your-60th-birthday/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's your 60th birthday! Did you hear me? Hey...'It's your 60th birthday!' Hope your year is better than those ears!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-your-60th-birthday-did-you-hear-me-hey-it-s-your-60th-birthday/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to change your ID, because they made a mistake. You are not 60. You are just a 40 year old with 20 years of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-to-change-your-id-because-they-made-a-mistake-you-are-not-60/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I had to live again I would do exactly the same thing. Of course I have regrets, but if you are 60 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-moore/if-i-had-to-live-again-i-would-do-exactly-the-same-thing-of-course-i/) Christy Moore Browse all 50 60th birthday quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you survive long enough, you're revered-rather like an old building.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katharine Hepburn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revered-rather-like-an-old-building/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "60th birthday" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revered-rather-like-an-old-building/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/katharine-hepburn-2026_60th-birthday_if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revere_1309914.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/katharine-hepburn-2026_60th-birthday_if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revere_1309914.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/katharine-hepburn-2026_60th-birthday_if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revere_1309914.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you survive long enough, you're revered-rather like an old building.” — Katharine Hepburn", "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": "Katharine Hepburn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you survive long enough, you're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revered-rather-like-an-old-building/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/if-you-survive-long-enough-you-re-revered-rather-like-an-old-building/#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 } } ] } ```