The Four Stages of Life

For thousands of years
Chinese society based their collective ethic
on four distinct stages of life.

1. 0 - 21 years Student
2. 21 - 42 years State Steward
3. 42 - 63 years Parent/Mastership/Home estate
4. 63 - 84 years Retirement/Sage/Advisor

The motivation for living the good life
in each stage of the evolving consciousness,
is based on relative perceptions of Time

Infants live in the here and now
and then ambitiously begin to look ahead into the future
for the next 42 years
and remain concerned with what value society places on them

At menopause one arrives at self mastership,
accepts present circumstances
and concentrates on building a sound home and family.

At retirement the sage looks backwards into the past,
takes stock of life
and is more concerned with what he or she feels
towards the society that supported their life,
rather than what others think of him or her.

I am now three years into that final stage of life
and spend much of my retirement in past reflections

It is these summations of the past
that I share on these philosophical forums
with little concern for what you think of me
and much concern on my part
for the affect the past has on present circumstances
and its portents for the future