--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don’t ever remember being afraid of…" description: "\"“I don’t ever remember being afraid of “oldness”. There are things I miss about being younger - chiefly the ability to pull all-nighters and keep worki..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/neil-gaiman-29_courage_i-don-t-ever-remember-being-afraid-of-ol_1561640.jpg" --- # I don’t ever remember being afraid of “oldness”. There are… ![“I don’t ever remember being afraid of “oldness”. There are things I miss about being younger - chiefly the ability to pull all-nighters and keep working and working well; and being smiled at by girls I didn’t know who thought I was cute; and I wish I had the eyesight I had even five years ago… but…” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/neil-gaiman-29_courage_i-don-t-ever-remember-being-afraid-of-ol_1561640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/neil-gaiman-29_courage_i-don-t-ever-remember-being-afraid-of-ol_1561640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/neil-gaiman-29_courage_i-don-t-ever-remember-being-afraid-of-ol_1561640.jpg) > ““I don’t ever remember being afraid of “oldness”. There are things I miss about being younger - chiefly the ability to pull all-nighters and keep working and working well; and being smiled at by girls I didn’t know who thought I was cute; and I wish I had the eyesight I had even five years ago… but that stuff feels pretty trivial. I’m happier than I’ve been at any time in my life these days. I have a wonderful wife whom I adore, watched three amazing kids grow into two delightful adults and my favourite teenager, an astonishing number of grand life experiences, I’ve made art I’m proud of, I have real, true, glorious friends, and I’ve been able to do real good for things I care about, like freedom of speech, like libraries. Sometimes I’ll do something like An Evening With Neil and Amanda, or the 8 in 8 project, and completely surprise myself. I miss friends who have died, but then, I’m glad that time gave them to me, to befriend, even for a while, and that I was alive to know them. I knew Douglas Adams, and I knew Roger Zelazny, and I knew John M Ford, and I knew Diana Wynne Jones… do you know how lucky that makes me? Ah, I’m rabbiting on, and I sound a bit more Pollyannaish than I’m intending to sound: I know the downside of age and the downside of time, and I am sure that the view from age 51 is not the view from age 71. I wish the time hadn’t gone so fast, though. And sometimes I wish I’d enjoyed it more on the way, and worried about it less.”” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A reflective meditation on aging, gratitude, and the richness of a life filled with love, creativity, and meaningful connections. **In simple terms:** Aging brings both loss and deep appreciation for relationships and achievements. Key Takeaway Embrace each stage, cherish relationships, and keep creating. Themes gratitude aging relationships creativity legacy Mood reflective content hopeful Type personal essay memoir When to use this quote - family gatherings - creative projects - public speaking - community service - personal reflection Key Concepts human experience nostalgia meaning life stages Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor past relationships while staying present? - What small daily practices keep you feeling youthful? A Different Perspective Age can bring physical decline and regret over missed moments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Oldness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-oldness-5859101/) [Age Downside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-downside-5859103/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/douglas-adams/) [Downside Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downside-age-5859104/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Freedom of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-speech/) [Life experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-experiences/) [Oldness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oldness-2927890/) [Oldness Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oldness-things-5859102/) [Real true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-true/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [Age indicates number of years of life, not the oldness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/age-indicates-number-of-years-of-life-not-the-oldness/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [The old should be explorers, be curious, risk transgression, explore oldness itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/the-old-should-be-explorers-be-curious-risk-transgression-explore/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [“I do not believe that all books will or should migrate onto screens: as Douglas Adams once pointed out to me, more than 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-do-not-believe-that-all-books-will-or-should-migrate-onto-screens/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I do not believe that all books will or should migrate onto screens: as Douglas Adams once pointed out to me, more than 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-do-not-believe-that-all-books-will-or-should-migrate-onto-screens-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I'm a fan of Douglas Adams, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-berry/i-m-a-fan-of-douglas-adams-yes/) [Matt Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-berry/) > [“It would not be completely unreasonable to suggest that if J.K. Rowling, Dan Brown, and Dean Koontz were to get together in a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-sheldon/it-would-not-be-completely-unreasonable-to-suggest-that-if-j-k/) [Mark Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-sheldon/) > [“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they fly past.' Douglas Adams”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tima-maria-lacoba/i-love-deadlines-i-love-the-whooshing-sound-they-make-as-they-fly/) [Tima Maria Lacoba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tima-maria-lacoba/) > [Whatever our bedtime was as kids, we could stay up an extra half hour if we were reading. My parents didn't care as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-fillion/whatever-our-bedtime-was-as-kids-we-could-stay-up-an-extra-half-hour/) [Nathan Fillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-fillion/) > [ I think Douglas \[Douglas Adams\] was a real one-off. He was so clever and so intelligent and so well read in real science that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalla-ward/i-think-douglas-douglas-adams-was-a-real-one-off-he-was-so-clever-and/) [Lalla Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lalla-ward/) > [“What are you, beyond the collection of the things you've done, said and thought? Happily, much comfort is to be found in the Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belle-dejour/what-are-you-beyond-the-collection-of-the-things-you-ve-done-said-and/) [Belle Dejour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belle-dejour/) > [“Douglas Adams. Kurt Vonnegut. Neal Stephenson. Richard K. Morgan. Stephen King. Orson Scott Card. Terry Pratchett. Terry Brooks. Bester, Bradbury, Haldeman, Heinlein, Tolkien, Vance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/douglas-adams-kurt-vonnegut-neal-stephenson-richard-k-morgan-stephen/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [ “Human beings, who are almost unique \[among animals\] in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-berkun/human-beings-who-are-almost-unique-among-animals-in-having-the/) [Scott Berkun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-berkun/) > [“GENERAL NOTE TO MYSELF - Douglas Adams Writing isn’t so bad really when you get through the worry. Forget about the worry, just press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/general-note-to-myself-douglas-adams-writing-isn-t-so-bad-really-when/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“You are aware that what they do, they do for the world, and the results are, of course, magnificent. But when you . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/you-are-aware-that-what-they-do-they-do-for-the-world-and-the-results/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“If there is one thing we try to teach our students when they first arrive at the University of Manchester, ready to learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox-jeff-forshaw/if-there-is-one-thing-we-try-to-teach-our-students-when-they-first/) [Brian Cox Jeff Forshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox-jeff-forshaw/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. 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If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. 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Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) [Kristen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-armstrong/) > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don’t ever remember being afraid of “oldness”. There are things I miss about being younger - chiefly the ability to pull all-nighters and keep working and working well; and being smiled at by girls I didn’t know who thought I was cute; and I wish I had the eyesight I had even five years ago… but that stuff feels pretty trivial. I’m happier than I’ve been at any time in my life these days. I have a wonderful wife whom I adore, watched three amazing kids grow into two delightful adults and my favourite teenager, an astonishing number of grand life experiences, I’ve made art I’m proud of, I have real, true, glorious friends, and I’ve been able to do real good for things I care about, like freedom of speech, like libraries. Sometimes I’ll do something like An Evening With Neil and Amanda, or the 8 in 8 project, and completely surprise myself. I miss friends who have died, but then, I’m glad that time gave them to me, to befriend, even for a while, and that I was alive to know them. I knew Douglas Adams, and I knew Roger Zelazny, and I knew John M Ford, and I knew Diana Wynne Jones… do you know how lucky that makes me? Ah, I’m rabbiting on, and I sound a bit more Pollyannaish than I’m intending to sound: I know the downside of age and the downside of time, and I am sure that the view from age 51 is not the view from age 71. I wish the time hadn’t gone so fast, though. 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