The Aging Process is Stressful

Sadly, unlike childhood and youth, adolescence lasts until death. Being wise and mature is a necessity. But wait, wait... what do the terms "mature" and "wise" really mean? The most common perception of mature middle-aged people is that they should hold steady jobs and lead stable lives, like most other people. Those who do not have a steady life are seen as struggling. But have you read Halfway Home by Margaret Foster? You should...The author has changed a lot since her younger years. She no longer regrets not being what others want her to be, as she pays less attention to their opinions and feels more liberated. It's because she continued to learn and develop skills like empathy, resilience, and self-care, and she gained wisdom. But how many Fosters are there today? Not many, so like her, I struggle as a writer in (nearly) middle age. It is also because writers are seen as either shirkers or strange types, so they have to struggle against these common perceptions. Being a popular author means less struggle, but being a well-known author often requires sacrificing independence and grappling with personal challenges. Nowadays, writing a good essay or novel means writing for people who do not struggle with words. Therefore, as a writer, I wrestle more with things most people don't care about. I struggle with words, which gradually shape my passages, with passages I have to read to write my passages. And who cares about that?