Stages Of Life

Yesterday while reading the Sunday newspaper cartoons I saw one that grabbed my attention. It’s called Pearls Before Swine. The cartoonist gave what I thought was a funny, and somewhat true, summary of life at its various stages. Here are some viewpoints of life from different ages.

• Toddler-Life is unfamiliar.
• Teen-Life is aggravating.
• 20’s-Life is to be conquered.
• 30’s-Life cannot be conquered.
• 40’s-Life has conquered me.
• 50’s-Life, I am starting to figure you out.
• 60’s-Life, I am going to savor every moment of you before it’s too late.
• 70’s-It’s too late.

I must admit that this breakdown of life has been fairly true for me. As I look at the viewpoint of someone in their 60’s, I can better understand my obsession with mindfulness and being in the moment. I do hope the 70’s are not too late for me and everyone else that lives that long. Although the cartoonist makes it sound like one should just give up in their 40’s, I prefer to think that the 40's are a time when one begins to attain some enlightenment and we begin to accept life and roll with it more. It is not something to be conquered or outwitted. We will lose that battle. Life is something to be lived and I believe we can live it better when we just jump into the river and flow with it. I think we start to get that attitude in our 50’s and relish it in our 60’s. If you are still fighting life in your 60’s, you might not make it to your 70’s. Some of the best advice I ever read was to “relax and live”.