Stages of Life

The stages of life are interesting. During the pre-teen years, you are totally dependent on your parents for everything. There's not a lot to worry about.

Then comes the difficult teen years. A time when you should know better but you have to find out for yourself. The teen years are primarily consumed setting the parameters of your social skills. Also during the teen years, you are invincible. Injury and death are things that happen to others.

Following the awkward teen years, the 20's are about being accepted as an adult by other adults while still having fun like a teenager. And you are still invincible.

During your 30's you actually become a productive citizen. You are old enough to have experience and young enough to have endurance. At this point you are likely to be married and either have or begin to think about having children.

Then there's the fabulous Forties. For some reason, during this stage of your life, you strive to hold on to your youth while is begins to gradually slip away. You get involved by going back to school or participating in exercise programs, running, swimming.....anything to keep that body looking good and proving you are smarter and stronger than those youngsters who are not yet 40.

The 40's are good years. Just before turning 50, you become aware of who you are, where you are in life, and settle into a level of comfortable acceptance.

The 50's are sort of a blur. You are not young enough to be called young and not old enough to be called old. You are still in pretty good physical shape and your mind is alert although enthusiasm is somewhat tempered by experience. At this point you know better. During you 50's, you just don't feel fiftyish and don't know how it's really supposed to feel.

Then you turn 60! Uh oh, now what? Your focus changes. You know for sure you will never be as pretty or handsome as you wanted to be. So you settle for looking and acting younger than your peers. At the same time you know social security, medicare, and retirement are things you will have to learn to cope with and you spend a lot of time trying to figure that out.

In your 60's you realize good health is a priceless gift and that you really are a mortal human being. You make the necessary arrangements to take care of your spouse if something happens to you. You make end of life decisions so others won't be charged with that duty. At the same time you realize that, with good health, you will continue to enjoy a normal life and do all the things you want to do. The emphasis should be on doing the things you "want" to do as you learn that "no" doesn't require a commitment.

And the 70's? I'll let you know when I have experienced them.