--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It makes me wonder now, in middle age, if…" description: "\"“It makes me wonder now, in middle age, if being spontaneous and kind and curious are all parts of our natural ability to swim.”\" — Mark Nepo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/mark-nepo-1670_basics_it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if_1530087.png" --- # It makes me wonder now, in middle age, if being… ![“It makes me wonder now, in middle age, if being spontaneous and kind and curious are all parts of our natural ability to swim.” quote by Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/mark-nepo-1670_basics_it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if_1530087.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/mark-nepo-1670_basics_it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if_1530087.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/mark-nepo-1670_basics_it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if_1530087.png) > ““It makes me wonder now, in middle age, if being spontaneous and kind and curious are all parts of our natural ability to swim.”” [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We possess innate capacities for spontaneity, kindness, and curiosity that guide us through life's currents. **In simple terms:** We have natural gifts of spontaneity, kindness, and curiosity. Key Takeaway Embrace and nurture these innate qualities. Themes self‑discovery growth human nature Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - relationships - creative pursuits - learning new skills Key Concepts psychology mindfulness creativity Questions to Reflect On - How can you daily practice spontaneity? - What does kindness look like in your life? A Different Perspective These traits may be suppressed by fear or routine, limiting their expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basics/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life-energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-energy-2/) [Middle age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-age/) ## Related quotes > [There is no more wild, free, vigorous growth of the forest, but everything is in pots or rows like a rococo garden... The pupil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/there-is-no-more-wild-free-vigorous-growth-of-the-forest-but/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [“The other day, I told you our family motto was "Be kind, be curious, be helpful." Kindness and helpfulness you understood right away. 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Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I learned tabla for three years when in school, then started picking up the basics of the acoustic guitar when in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupam-roy/i-learned-tabla-for-three-years-when-in-school-then-started-picking/) [Anupam Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupam-roy/) > [The only way you can stay on top is to remember to touch bottom and get back to basics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/the-only-way-you-can-stay-on-top-is-to-remember-to-touch-bottom-and/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [To succeed, you will soon learn, as I did, the importance of a solid foundation in the basics of education - literacy, both verbal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/to-succeed-you-will-soon-learn-as-i-did-the-importance-of-a-solid/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. 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Master the basics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gogen-yamaguchi/move-quickly-sound-calm-mind-be-light-in-body-have-a-clever-mind/) Gogen Yamaguchi > [After almost exactly three hours, we rolled into a small hole of a town that had one traffic light and a resturant simply marked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/after-almost-exactly-three-hours-we-rolled-into-a-small-hole-of-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [When you're a dancer, you start with the basics. You don't all of a sudden do a grand jete and pirouette. You start with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/when-you-re-a-dancer-you-start-with-the-basics-you-don-t-all-of-a/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [There are huge misconceptions about people on benefits. They are labelled scroungers or cheats. The reality is that many who need that level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-paphitis/there-are-huge-misconceptions-about-people-on-benefits-they-are/) [Theo Paphitis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-paphitis/) > [It's just lovely to be involved in a movie that does go back to the basics - characters and great writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/it-s-just-lovely-to-be-involved-in-a-movie-that-does-go-back-to-the/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [“When life gets confusing, go back to the basics. The rest is noise!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-shelasky/when-life-gets-confusing-go-back-to-the-basics-the-rest-is-noise/) [Alyssa Shelasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-shelasky/) > [We have to stick to basics. 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You have to know the basics, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/i-don-t-think-that-you-can-write-music-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-play/) [Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/) [Browse all 345 Basics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It makes me wonder now, in middle age, if being spontaneous and kind and curious are all parts of our natural ability to swim.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Nepo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if-being-spontaneous-and-kind/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if-being-spontaneous-and-kind/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/mark-nepo-1670_basics_it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if_1530087.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/mark-nepo-1670_basics_it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if_1530087.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/mark-nepo-1670_basics_it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if_1530087.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It makes me wonder now, in middle age, if being spontaneous and kind and curious are all parts of our…” — Mark Nepo", "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": "Mark Nepo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It makes me wonder now, in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if-being-spontaneous-and-kind/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/it-makes-me-wonder-now-in-middle-age-if-being-spontaneous-and-kind/#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 } } ] } ```