"You’re young, energetic, and have your whole life in front of you. You’re the male lion of the human world, and they’re not the hyenas you’re going to surpass or the antelope you plan to eat; they’re more the hippos of the human world. You see them around, moving from one task to another, doing things you don’t. You don’t hate them or eat them, but you don’t want to be them either. The idea that you’ll be like that one day seems almost beyond belief.That's from John Hawkins at Brass Pills. His list of 5 things is fairly comprehensive - from health to complexity to 'no magic bullet,' etc. But I think Hawkins left off one very important aspect: Fatigue; Life fatigue in the form of financial ruin, miserable marriage, disabled child, family suicide(s), abandonment, crime victim, etc.
Theoretically, you understand that it’s going to happen to you, but your brain blocks it out because it seems so far-fetched. “Me? Middle-aged? Like my parents? Well, if….oooh, I like that song. Hey, that’s shiny” and next thing you know, you’ve forgotten about it. Then one day, you wake up old. At least that’s how it happened to me."
And while Hawkins did list 'health' on his list, he mainly referenced the usual physical aches, pains, and weight gains that encroach upon middle age, yet neglected the terrifying grip of fatigue from mental health issues such as depression, or bi-polar disorder, etc.
Other than that, it's a good read. John Hawkins is one of the finest writers on the internet today. Click on over and let him know what you think.