---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe the true function of age is…"
description: "\"I believe the true function of age is memory. I'm recording as fast as I can.\" — Rita Mae Brown"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/rita-mae-brown-1111_age_i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-me_898956.png"
---

#  I believe the true function of age is memory. I'm…

![“I believe the true function of age is memory. I'm recording as fast as I can.” quote by Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/rita-mae-brown-1111_age_i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-me_898956.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/rita-mae-brown-1111_age_i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-me_898956.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/rita-mae-brown-1111_age_i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-me_898956.png)

> “I believe the true function of age is memory. I'm recording as fast as I can.”

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

## About This Quote

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

Age serves to preserve memories; recording them promptly is essential.

**In simple terms:** Memory is the purpose of age; record quickly.

Key Takeaway

Document memories now.

Themes

memory aging legacy

Mood

reflective urgent

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- family history
- journaling
- interviews

Key Concepts

psychology nostalgia

Questions to Reflect On

- What memories are you delaying?
- How does age affect recall?

A Different Perspective

Memory fades; urgency may cause errors.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/)

## Related quotes

> [Happy people have neither age nor memory, they have no need of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahar-djaout/happy-people-have-neither-age-nor-memory-they-have-no-need-of-the-past/)

Tahar Djaout

> [She had died at age twelve, and by now she was nothing but the memory of love-- nothing, now, but bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/she-had-died-at-age-twelve-and-by-now-she-was-nothing-but-the-memory/)

[Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/)

> [I believe every space and comma is a living part of the poem and has its function, just as every muscle and pore of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/i-believe-every-space-and-comma-is-a-living-part-of-the-poem-and-has/)

[Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/)

> [I can't marry myself to one idea or one form of doing politics or one form of understanding politics. I believe that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bocafloja/i-can-t-marry-myself-to-one-idea-or-one-form-of-doing-politics-or-one/)

[Bocafloja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bocafloja/)

> [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/)

[Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/)

> [. . . to know the order of nature, and regard the universe as orderly is the highest function of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/to-know-the-order-of-nature-and-regard-the-universe-as-orderly-is-the/)

[Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/)

> [Some writers say they cannot write in front of a window; many say they cannot function without almost perfect quiet. A writer with only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/some-writers-say-they-cannot-write-in-front-of-a-window-many-say-they/)

[Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/)

> [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/)

[Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/)

> [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/)

[Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/)

> [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/)

[Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/)

> [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/)

[David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/)

> [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/)

[Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/)

> [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/)

[Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/)

## More by Rita Mae Brown

> [“Friendship distills the sweetness of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/friendship-distills-the-sweetness-of-life/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [About all you can do in life is be who you are. Some people will love you for you. Most will love you for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/about-all-you-can-do-in-life-is-be-who-you-are-some-people-will-love/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [He tried to drown his troubles but they knew how to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/he-tried-to-drown-his-troubles-but-they-knew-how-to-swim/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [“The most revolutionary thing you can do is to be yourself, to speak your truth, to open your arms to life including the pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/the-most-revolutionary-thing-you-can-do-is-to-be-yourself-to-speak/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [Content without style is propaganda or adolescence. Style without content is decadence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/content-without-style-is-propaganda-or-adolescence-style-without/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [Whenever I doubt the existence of God or the Goddess, I look at horses. Only God could have made a horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/whenever-i-doubt-the-existence-of-god-or-the-goddess-i-look-at-horses/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [Language is decanted and shared. If only one person is left alive speaking a language - the case with some American Indian languages -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/language-is-decanted-and-shared-if-only-one-person-is-left-alive/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [“what would happen if she'd open her eyes and see only dark and feel satin from the coffin? That'd scare her enough to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/what-would-happen-if-she-d-open-her-eyes-and-see-only-dark-and-feel/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [“You know, it’s hell to work with a cat. They really are smarter than we are. Have you ever gotten anyone to feed you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/you-know-it-s-hell-to-work-with-a-cat-they-really-are-smarter-than-we/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [I don't want to die. I think death is a greatly overrated experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/i-don-t-want-to-die-i-think-death-is-a-greatly-overrated-experience/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [Leroy bet me I couldn't find a pot of gold at the end, and I told him that was a stupid bet because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/leroy-bet-me-i-couldn-t-find-a-pot-of-gold-at-the-end-and-i-told-him/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [An army of lovers shall not fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/an-army-of-lovers-shall-not-fail/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [Cats and dogs believe politicians are like cemetery caregivers; they are on top of everyone, but nobody listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/cats-and-dogs-believe-politicians-are-like-cemetery-caregivers-they/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [Femininity and masculinity are social constructs. Female and male are biological. We don't have to learn to be men or women but we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/femininity-and-masculinity-are-social-constructs-female-and-male-are/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

> [One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/one-of-the-keys-to-happiness-is-a-bad-memory/)

[Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

[Explore all 290 Rita Mae Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/)

## More Age quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/)

[Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/)

> [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/)

[Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

> [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/)

[Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/)

> [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/)

[Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/)

> [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/)

[Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/)

[Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/)

[Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I believe the true function of age is memory. I'm recording as fast as I can.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rita Mae Brown"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-memory-i-m-recording-as-fast-as/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Age"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-memory-i-m-recording-as-fast-as/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/rita-mae-brown-1111_age_i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-me_898956.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/rita-mae-brown-1111_age_i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-me_898956.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/rita-mae-brown-1111_age_i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-me_898956.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I believe the true function of age is memory. I'm recording as fast as I can.” — Rita Mae Brown",
                "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": "Rita Mae Brown",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I believe the true function of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-memory-i-m-recording-as-fast-as/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/i-believe-the-true-function-of-age-is-memory-i-m-recording-as-fast-as/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
