--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Youth is the only thing worth having…" description: "\"Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/027/oscar-wilde-16_growing_youth-is-the-only-thing-worth-having-whe_1378393.jpg" --- # Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I… ![“Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/027/oscar-wilde-16_growing_youth-is-the-only-thing-worth-having-whe_1378393.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/027/oscar-wilde-16_growing_youth-is-the-only-thing-worth-having-whe_1378393.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/027/oscar-wilde-16_growing_youth-is-the-only-thing-worth-having-whe_1378393.jpg) > “Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Youth is valued above all, and aging is seen as unbearable, leading to a desire for death when old age approaches. **In simple terms:** Youth is precious; aging is feared. Key Takeaway Cherish youth, confront aging. Themes youth mortality existential dread Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - literary analysis - mental health discussions Key Concepts nihilism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you find purpose beyond youth? - What gives life value as you age? A Different Perspective Aging can be faced with meaning rather than despair. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growing old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [“I am less to you than your ivory Hermes or your silver Faun. You will like them always. How long will you like me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-am-less-to-you-than-your-ivory-hermes-or-your-silver-faun-you-will/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Youth is the only thing worth having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/youth-is-the-only-thing-worth-having/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Youth is about the only thing worth having, and that is about the only thing youth has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/youth-is-about-the-only-thing-worth-having-and-that-is-about-the-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of times I tend to think back to me having nothing, growing up in an area where I didn't know nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/a-lot-of-times-i-tend-to-think-back-to-me-having-nothing-growing-up/) [DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/) > [So as long as I'm a human being and I'm not perfect, I'm able to say I'm having some growing pains. Because in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/so-as-long-as-i-m-a-human-being-and-i-m-not-perfect-i-m-able-to-say-i/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [“Pleasure is the only thing worth having a theory about,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/pleasure-is-the-only-thing-worth-having-a-theory-about/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Why didn't you tell me that the only thing worth loving is an actress?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-didn-t-you-tell-me-that-the-only-thing-worth-loving-is-an-actress/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [...tell them that we have some good in us, too. And the only thing worth living for is the good. That’s why we’ve got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-letts/tell-them-that-we-have-some-good-in-us-too-and-the-only-thing-worth/) [Billie Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-letts/) > [Know what really matters to you because not every thing is worth doing, even when you have the right to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-what-really-matters-to-you-because-not-every-thing-is-worth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“W. C. Fields once said: a thing worth having is a thing worth cheating for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/w-c-fields-once-said-a-thing-worth-having-is-a-thing-worth-cheating/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no such thing as absolute value in this world. You can only estimate what a thing is worth to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/there-is-no-such-thing-as-absolute-value-in-this-world-you-can-only/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [If a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gerrold/if-a-thing-is-worth-doing-it-s-worth-doing-for-money/) [David Gerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gerrold/) > [“The human heart is the only thing whose worth increases the more it is broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakieb-orgunwall/the-human-heart-is-the-only-thing-whose-worth-increases-the-more-it/) [Shakieb Orgunwall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakieb-orgunwall/) > [Only thing I ever could need, only one good thing worth trying to be and it's love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/only-thing-i-ever-could-need-only-one-good-thing-worth-trying-to-be/) [Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/) > [When a thing is not worth overdoing, leave it alone!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-s-haskins/when-a-thing-is-not-worth-overdoing-leave-it-alone/) [Henry S. Haskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-s-haskins/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Growing quotes > [I have a strong feeling about this quick movement and changing of society and populations growing - something scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-sugimoto/i-have-a-strong-feeling-about-this-quick-movement-and-changing-of/) [Hiroshi Sugimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-sugimoto/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I always feel like I'm struggling to become someone else. Like I'm trying to find a new place, grab hold of a new life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-always-feel-like-i-m-struggling-to-become-someone-else-like-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Every woman I have ever loved has left her print upon me, where I loved some invaluable piece of myself apart from me-so different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/every-woman-i-have-ever-loved-has-left-her-print-upon-me-where-i/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I think kids growing up, if they were picked on and feeling inferior at 12, they're going to feel that way at 72. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-think-kids-growing-up-if-they-were-picked-on-and-feeling-inferior/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-the-effect-of-her-being-on-those-around-her-was-incalculably/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [I wasn't a kid growing up thinking, 'One day I'll get an Oscar and make a speech.' That wasn't on my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-wasn-t-a-kid-growing-up-thinking-one-day-i-ll-get-an-oscar-and-make/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I was young, but to me that was underground music. I had never heard anything like Venom or any of that stuff growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pajo/i-was-young-but-to-me-that-was-underground-music-i-had-never-heard/) [David Pajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pajo/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) Browse all 7,266 Growing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Youth is the only thing worth having. 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