"Wisdom comes with winters".
The words of Oscar Wilde as he sought to give expression to the ageing process and the benefits that accrue.
Indeed, the above quote would no doubt find relevance in describing a few of our modern day GAA stars.
I'm referring to those players still showing the way at a point in their careers when, in the view of many, their boots should be hung up.
We are told that 'it's a young man's game' and in many respects that is true. At the beginning of this year prior to Galway's League and All-Ireland hurling success, Joe Canning concurred with such a view. "It's getting a younger game, a younger man's game," he outlined to RTÉ Sport.
"You see a lot of guys retiring now at 28, 29, 30 years of age. You look even at Austin Gleeson getting Hurler of the Year and Young Hurler of the Year and Tony Kelly doing it a couple of years ago as well. It makes guys like me feel fairly old at 28!"
That said, you wouldn't be surprised if Canning, barring any serious injury, is still be performing at the highest level into his mid-thirties.
The Portumna clubman is a naturally gifted player, the talent is there. You would expect that each season and winter that follows will bring about a wisdom that should add to his game.
On Friday, news emerged that Kieran Donaghy is going to give it another year in the Kerry colours. Many wondered whether the sight of him exiting the Croke Park stage after his sending off in this year's All-Ireland semi-final replay against Mayo would be the last time we'd see him on the big stage?
No. He's back for more, hoping for a fifth All-Ireland medal. Speaking in The Examiner, Donaghy poured scorn on the notion that inter-county players should be put out to pasture at a certain age.
"If I don’t help Kerry on the pitch or I feel I can’t help Kerry on the pitch, I’ll be retired quicker than you can sit down," he said.
"I’ll be gone, but I still feel I can do a job for Kerry and I still enjoy it, so why would I retire? Because society thinks I should retire? Because when you get over 30 in the GAA they all think you should retire?"
Donaghy has already started pre-season work with the Kingdom, but his main focus over the next few months will be on basketball and helping Garvey Tralee Warriors.
All going well, the Austin Stacks clubman, who will be 35 next March, hopes to be part of the Kerry set-up ahead of the Munster Championship.
Many will be pleased that Donaghy is going to give it another rattle. Since firmly establishing himself as a player of note in that qualifier against Longford in 2006, Donaghy's involvement has certainly enlivened many summers, not least the summer just past and his 'match-up' with Aidan O'Shea. The big man has a presence, a character and a footballing brain.
Think of the opportunism he showed when latching on to Paul Durcan's poor kick-out and his cool finish to the corner of the net in the 2014 All-Ireland final.
Another veteran with footballing cuteness is Andy Moran - another one of the 'old timers'. Moran was named Footballer of the Year after some excellent displays in the latter end of Mayo's championship season. He recently turned 34, but it was no surprise that he confirmed that he'll be aiding the Green and Red cause in 2018.
Summing up what the Ballaghaderreen man brings to the game at this point in his career, his former manager John Maughan told the RTÉ GAA Podcast: "I don't know anybody who has played the full-forward role as well as Andy in recent times. He knows how to play it, just look at the runs he makes, his energy, his timing."
Bernard Brogan, 34 next April, and Stephen Cluxton, 36, are on board as Dublin seek an All-Ireland four-timer next summer. Both men, in different ways, are still crucial in the Dubs masterplan.
Perhaps it is easier to stay involved when you play for a county that is constantly challenging for honours. Mick O'Dwyer ended his Kerry career aged 38, the same age that Colm O'Rourke was when he called time on his Meath tenure.
What about those veterans still giving their all in the hope of seeing more bigger days?
My colleague Peter Sweeney referred to these 'football outliers' in a column from earlier this year. Speaking to Sligo's Mark Breheny and Fermangh's Ryan McCluskey we got an insight into their dedication and how they always looked after themselves.
For both, eating healthy and staying in shape would have been a way of life with or without football, and they have managed to strike a balance between sport, work and home life thanks to the backing of supportive families. That is crucial in extending any career.
Breheny made his inter-county debut in 2000. We don't know what his plans are for 2018 but the talk is that the 36-year will give it another whirl. As he said at the start of the year: "I want to be the best player I can be and when I do finish up I want to do so with no regrets."
At this time of the year, there is much room for nostalgia. In researching this topic, I recalled a meeting with the late Jimmy Magee some years back.
The 'memory man ' was in full flow, recalling stars from the past and those likely to emerge with distinction. In the midst of it all, however, Jimmy was at pains to point out that "age is only a number on a birth certificate".
