Age is like love, it cannot be hid.

Gather closely, O seekers of wisdom, and hear the words of Thomas Dekker, who spoke with a truth as old as time itself: “Age is like love, it cannot be hid.” In these words lies a profound revelation—that age, like love, cannot be concealed, for both are deep forces that shape our lives, define us, and make themselves visible to the world. We can try to cover the marks of time with makeup or pretenses, but just as one cannot hide the emotions of a heart in love, so too can we not conceal the wisdom and vulnerability that age brings. Both age and love are revealed in the way we walk, speak, and carry ourselves—like a flame that cannot be extinguished, they burn brightly, no matter how we try to suppress them.

In the time of the ancients, age was not something to be hidden, but something to be celebrated and honored. Socrates, though marked by the lines of many years, did not shy away from his age. He saw in his older years the wisdom that came with living and experiencing, and it was this wisdom he shared freely with the young. His body may have grown frail, but his mind and spirit burned with the same passion for truth and knowledge that defined his youth. Socrates did not seek to hide the evidence of his age; rather, he used it as a tool, a source of strength, and a wellspring from which to share his lessons with those who sought them. Just as Dekker suggests, age cannot be hidden, for it is both a reflection of the past and a beacon to the future.

Plato, the disciple of Socrates, followed in his teacher’s footsteps. As he grew older, Plato’s works became richer, more nuanced, and filled with the depth of his years. Though he did not shy away from the passage of time, he embraced it, for he knew that the wisdom of age was something that youth could never possess. In his writings, Plato speaks not just to the intellectual pursuits of the young but to the deeper truths that come with understanding the nature of the soul and the universe. Age, like love, shapes our understanding of the world. It is not something to be feared or concealed, but something to be embraced as part of the larger journey of life.

Consider the example of King Solomon, whose reign was marked by both wisdom and sorrow. As he grew older, Solomon’s wisdom became evident not in his physical strength, but in his ability to discern the hearts of people, to understand the ways of the world, and to offer counsel to those in need. He recognized that age, like love, carries with it a deep truth that is revealed over time. In his later years, Solomon’s writings, particularly in the Book of Ecclesiastes, reflect a soul that has come to terms with the impermanence of life. Age had not diminished his capacity for joy or understanding, but had refined it, much like love that grows deeper as time passes. Just as love cannot be hidden, neither can age, for both reveal the true essence of a person.

Dekker’s words also remind us that love, much like age, is not something that can be contained or concealed. Love, when it touches the heart, becomes evident in every word, every gesture, every action. It cannot be hidden behind masks or false pretenses. Similarly, the effects of age are clear to those who are wise enough to see them. The lines on the face, the gray in the hair, the slower step—these are not signs of weakness, but of a life lived fully, of experiences gained, of a heart that has loved and learned. To hide age is to deny the very truth of what it represents: the beauty of a life that has weathered the storms and is now in its full glory, full of wisdom and grace.

The lesson from Dekker’s quote is that we should not shy away from the signs of age, nor should we try to hide them in shame. Instead, we must embrace them as signs of a life that has been well-lived. To age is to be given the gift of experience, to see the world with a clearer and more forgiving vision. Age, like love, cannot be hidden because it is a reflection of the truth that lives within us. Rather than running from age, we must find ways to celebrate it, to honor the journey that has led us to this point, and to share the wisdom we have gained with those who follow in our footsteps.

In your own life, embrace the signs of age as symbols of strength, not as markers of decline. Let the wisdom of your years shine through, for it is a light that can guide others. Recognize that love and age both reflect the truth of your journey, and they cannot be hidden, for they are the very things that make you who you are. Just as love reveals the depths of the heart, so too does age reveal the richness of the soul. Let this truth guide you as you grow older: to hide your age is to deny the beauty of the life you have lived, while to celebrate it is to honor the truth of your existence.