When I have time, thoughts arrive. I had time today to notice what I see as three stages of becoming fully human.
First Age (0 - 35): Be born; grow up physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, learn to connect with people, places and planet; become an adult in society.
Second age (35 - 70): become self, develop knowledge and skills aligned to deep self, become authentic in society, connect with communities
Third Age (70+): thrive, learn, contribute, travel to body's end
I may write more about this. I may not. The thoughts arrived as I was imagining how I would describe my increasingly thin flesh to my grandchildren. It’s later Second Age skin. It’s a simple description, not a descriptor of longevity. The ages I’ve given for each bracket are based on my observations in my Second Age. And, like many development stages in other arenas of life, the change from one state to another is not as neat as the categories suggest. I notice those who have never reached Second Age and those in in their Third Age earlier than others. Good.