This is the way that it goes. In your mid forties you have…
““This is the way that it goes. In your mid forties you have your first crisis of mortality (death will not ignore me); and ten years later you have your first crisis of age (my body whispers that death is already intrigued by me). But something very interesting happens to you in between. As the fiftieth birthday approaches, you get that sense that your life is thinning out, and will continue to thin out, until it thins out into nothing. And you sometimes say to yourself; That went a bit quick. That went a bit quick. In certain moods you may want to put it a bit more forcefully. As in: OY!! That went a BIT FUCKING QUICK!!!… Then fifty comes and goes, and fifty-one, and fifty-two. And life thickens out again. Because there is now an enormous and unsuspected presence within your being, like an undiscovered continent. This is the past.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Midlife brings a series of mortality and aging crises, followed by a renewed sense of depth and potential as one ages.
In simple terms: Aging feels like a crisis then a rebirth.
Key Takeaway
Embrace each stage, seek growth.
Themes
mortality
aging
self‑discovery
renewal
Mood
reflective
hopeful
introspective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career planning
- health decisions
- personal reflection
- creative projects
Key Concepts
existential crisis
psychological development
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you transform crisis into opportunity?
- What does “the past” mean for your future?
A Different Perspective
The “thickening” may be fleeting; new insights can be fragile.