--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps middle age is, or should be, a…" description: "\"“Perhaps middle age is, or should be, a period of shedding shells; the shell of ambition, the shell of material accumulations and possessions, the shel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_middle-age_perhaps-middle-age-is-or-should-be-a-per_1627763.jpg" --- # Perhaps middle age is, or should be, a period of shedding… ![“Perhaps middle age is, or should be, a period of shedding shells; the shell of ambition, the shell of material accumulations and possessions, the shell of ego. Perhaps one can shed at this stage in life as one sheds in beach living; one's pride, one's false ambitions, one's mask, one's armor. Was…” quote by Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_middle-age_perhaps-middle-age-is-or-should-be-a-per_1627763.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_middle-age_perhaps-middle-age-is-or-should-be-a-per_1627763.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_middle-age_perhaps-middle-age-is-or-should-be-a-per_1627763.jpg) > ““Perhaps middle age is, or should be, a period of shedding shells; the shell of ambition, the shell of material accumulations and possessions, the shell of ego. Perhaps one can shed at this stage in life as one sheds in beach living; one's pride, one's false ambitions, one's mask, one's armor. Was that armor not put on to protect one from the competitive world? If one ceases to compete, does one need it? Perhaps one can at last in middle age, if not earlier, be completely oneself. And what a liberation that would be!”” [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Middle age can be a time to discard superficial identities and ego, revealing authentic self and freedom. **In simple terms:** Middle age lets you drop false selves and find true self. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity and release ego. Themes self‑discovery freedom midlife identity growth Mood reflective hopeful liberating Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career transition - retirement planning - personal therapy - spiritual retreats - midlife crisis Key Concepts ego authenticity psychology Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself are you clinging to? - How can you honor needed while letting go? A Different Perspective Shedding shells may be painful and socially unsettling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Middle age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-age/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [Perhaps middle-age is, or should be, a period of shedding shells; the shell of ambition, the shell of material accumulations and possessions, the shell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/perhaps-middle-age-is-or-should-be-a-period-of-shedding-shells-the-2/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [One learns first of all in beach living the art of shedding; how little one can get along with, not how much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/one-learns-first-of-all-in-beach-living-the-art-of-shedding-how/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“One learns first of all in beach living the art of sheding;how little one can get along with, not how much…To say-is it necessary?-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/one-learns-first-of-all-in-beach-living-the-art-of-sheding-how-little/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The signs that presage growth, so similar, it seems to me, to those in early adolescence: discontent, restlessness, doubt, despair, longing, are interpreted falsely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/the-signs-that-presage-growth-so-similar-it-seems-to-me-to-those-in/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [For is it not possible that middle age can be looked upon as a period of second flowering, second growth, even a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/for-is-it-not-possible-that-middle-age-can-be-looked-upon-as-a-period/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“It's that in between time Nothing really growing And nothing really dying”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-ratliff/it-s-that-in-between-time-nothing-really-growing-and-nothing-really/) [Richard L. Ratliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-ratliff/) > [“When a man gets to middle age shouldn’t he look for a peaceful and stable existence, find a not-too-demanding sort of a job, stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/when-a-man-gets-to-middle-age-shouldn-t-he-look-for-a-peaceful-and/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [“Marriage can be made to work if both the partners can see beyond themselves and understand the limitations,needs and abilities of the other person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chitralekha-paul/marriage-can-be-made-to-work-if-both-the-partners-can-see-beyond/) [Chitralekha Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chitralekha-paul/) > [A man's diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/a-man-s-diary-is-a-record-in-youth-of-his-sentiments-in-middle-age-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“They are not brave, the days when we are twenty-one. They are full of little cowardices, little fears without foundation, and one is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/they-are-not-brave-the-days-when-we-are-twenty-one-they-are-full-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [“No matter how you tell yourself It's what we all go through Those lines are pretty hard to take When they're staring back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/no-matter-how-you-tell-yourself-it-s-what-we-all-go-through-those/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [As a precocious teen I dreamed of being Graham Greene. Well, as it turned out, I never wrote a great novel, sadly, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-burchill/as-a-precocious-teen-i-dreamed-of-being-graham-greene-well-as-it/) [Julie Burchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-burchill/) > [None of my own experiences ever finds its way into my work. However, the stages of my life - motherhood, middle age, etc. -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/none-of-my-own-experiences-ever-finds-its-way-into-my-work-however/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) ## More by Anne Morrow Lindbergh > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Not knowing how to feed the spirit, we try to muffle its demands in distraction...What matters is that one be for a time inwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/not-knowing-how-to-feed-the-spirit-we-try-to-muffle-its-demands-in/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [How one hates to think of oneself as alone. How one avoids it. It seems to imply rejection or unpopularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/how-one-hates-to-think-of-oneself-as-alone-how-one-avoids-it-it-seems/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/when-one-is-a-stranger-to-oneself-then-one-is-estranged-from-others/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“Is it not rather ugly, one may ask? One collects material possessions not only for security, comfort or vanity, but for beauty as well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/is-it-not-rather-ugly-one-may-ask-one-collects-material-possessions/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [No one, it has been said, will ever look at the Moon in the same way again. More significantly can one say that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/no-one-it-has-been-said-will-ever-look-at-the-moon-in-the-same-way/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“It isn't for the moment you are stuck that you need courage, but for the long uphill climb back to sanity, faith and security.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/it-isn-t-for-the-moment-you-are-stuck-that-you-need-courage-but-for/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/by-and-large-mothers-and-housewives-are-the-only-workers-who-do-not/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [I do not like talking casually to people - it does not interest me - and most of them are unwilling to talk at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-do-not-like-talking-casually-to-people-it-does-not-interest-me-and/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“One comes in the end to realize that there is no permanent pure-relationship and there should not be. It is not even something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/one-comes-in-the-end-to-realize-that-there-is-no-permanent-pure/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [It is a difficult lesson to learn today-to leave one's friends and family and deliberately practice the art of solitude for an hour or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/it-is-a-difficult-lesson-to-learn-today-to-leave-one-s-friends-and/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [For relationships, too, must be like islands. One must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands surrounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/for-relationships-too-must-be-like-islands-one-must-accept-them-for/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can only collect a few. One moon shell is more impressive than three.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/one-cannot-collect-all-the-beautiful-shells-on-the-beach-one-can-only/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Why do progress and beauty have to be so opposed?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/why-do-progress-and-beauty-have-to-be-so-opposed/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) [Explore all 314 Anne Morrow Lindbergh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) ## More Middle age quotes > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [None of my own experiences ever finds its way into my work. However, the stages of my life - motherhood, middle age, etc. -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/none-of-my-own-experiences-ever-finds-its-way-into-my-work-however/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) > [As a precocious teen I dreamed of being Graham Greene. Well, as it turned out, I never wrote a great novel, sadly, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-burchill/as-a-precocious-teen-i-dreamed-of-being-graham-greene-well-as-it/) [Julie Burchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-burchill/) > [“No matter how you tell yourself It's what we all go through Those lines are pretty hard to take When they're staring back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/no-matter-how-you-tell-yourself-it-s-what-we-all-go-through-those/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [“They are not brave, the days when we are twenty-one. They are full of little cowardices, little fears without foundation, and one is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/they-are-not-brave-the-days-when-we-are-twenty-one-they-are-full-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [A man's diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/a-man-s-diary-is-a-record-in-youth-of-his-sentiments-in-middle-age-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“Marriage can be made to work if both the partners can see beyond themselves and understand the limitations,needs and abilities of the other person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chitralekha-paul/marriage-can-be-made-to-work-if-both-the-partners-can-see-beyond/) [Chitralekha Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chitralekha-paul/) > [“When a man gets to middle age shouldn’t he look for a peaceful and stable existence, find a not-too-demanding sort of a job, stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/when-a-man-gets-to-middle-age-shouldn-t-he-look-for-a-peaceful-and/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [“It's that in between time Nothing really growing And nothing really dying”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-ratliff/it-s-that-in-between-time-nothing-really-growing-and-nothing-really/) [Richard L. Ratliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-ratliff/) > [After sixty, the self-questioning of middle age is obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/after-sixty-the-self-questioning-of-middle-age-is-obsolete/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Middle Age is that perplexing time of life when we hear two voices calling us, one saying, 'Why not?' and the other, 'Why bother?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/middle-age-is-that-perplexing-time-of-life-when-we-hear-two-voices/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“In good truth he had started in London with some vague idea that as his life in it would not be of long continuance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-riddell/in-good-truth-he-had-started-in-london-with-some-vague-idea-that-as/) [Charlotte Riddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-riddell/) > [“Senescence begins And middle-age ends The day your descendants Outnumber your friends”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/senescence-begins-and-middle-age-ends-the-day-your-descendants/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [The world is always full of brilliant youth which fades into grey and embittered middle age: the first flowering takes everything. The great men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-world-is-always-full-of-brilliant-youth-which-fades-into-grey-and/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) [Browse all 394 Middle age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Perhaps middle age is, or should be, a period of shedding shells; the shell of ambition, the shell of material accumulations and possessions, the shell of ego. Perhaps one can shed at this stage in life as one sheds in beach living; one's pride, one's false ambitions, one's mask, one's armor. Was that armor not put on to protect one from the competitive world? If one ceases to compete, does one need it? Perhaps one can at last in middle age, if not earlier, be completely oneself. 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