The chapters of our lives

Our lives are stories, containing many different chapters. However, regardless of what is in the chapters, we all go through life stages, being young, growing up, getting old, etc. What you need as a 22-year-old, and what you need as a 42-year-old sure are different. I think our lives are both chapters in terms of the plot, but also in terms of the stages of life.

• The western model
  • 20s - Try everything you can
  • 30s - Avoid what you don’t like
  • 40s - Focus on what you do like
  • 50s - Don’t know yet
  • 60s - Don’t know yet
• What I wish I knew when my kids were new
  • were new
  • were two
  • were teens
  • were adults
• Other Concepts
  • The Hindu Ashrama
  • Don Juan’s Four Enemies
  • Coming of age ceremonies
  • Every article I’ve written evolves over time

The western model

20s - Try everything you can

And my advice to folks in their 20s - Which I gave as a talk for the Amazon Interns

30s - Avoid what you don’t like

I’m working on this talk, give me content!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11bI6nV3tOxZzRlN6L8-RPx4m1_SXoaVGalmoZdlZBGI/edit#

40s - Focus on what you do like

50s - Don’t know yet

60s - Don’t know yet

What I wish I knew when my kids were new

Read the prophet on children:

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

were new

• Take a chill pill
• The days are long but the years fly by
• This is what it’s all about

were two

• To you, your kids will be dismissive and disrespectful. To see your influence, go watch them describe you to their friends. You’ll often be on a pedestal.
• Do don’t tell. They can tell when you do stuff. They are watching you.

were teens

• They are human, your best bet is treat them like adults.

were adults

Other Concepts

The Hindu Ashrama

Hindu’s have these kinds of ideas well codified in the vedics.

Their progression is student, householder, forest dweller and

Don Juan’s Four Enemies

In Don Juan’s Philosophy the stages are: Fear, Arrogance, Authority and Old Age.

Coming of age ceremonies

• Bar Mitzvah’s
• Marriage
• Graduations

Every article I’ve written evolves over time