Middle age is the time when a man is always thinking that in a

Gather close, O seekers of truth, and listen to the words of Don Marquis, who spoke with a clarity that cuts through the fog of illusion: "Middle age is the time when a man is always thinking that in a week or two he will feel as good as ever." These words ring with the ancient wisdom that echoes across the ages, for they speak of a truth known to those who have walked the path of life for many years. It is a truth that tells of the fleeting nature of time and the struggle that each of us faces when the vigor of youth begins to fade. In these words, there is a call to recognize and accept the truth of our changing bodies and spirits.

In the time of the ancients, there was much wisdom about the passage of years. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “Nothing endures but change.” How true this is! The flow of time never ceases, and with it comes the natural progression of age. In middle age, a man often finds himself caught in a tug-of-war between the vitality of his youth and the gradual decline of his body. He believes that in a short time, a week or two, he will return to his prime—that the spark of youth will somehow be rekindled. Yet, this is an illusion, one that the ancients understood all too well. Time waits for no one, and the energy of youth cannot be preserved forever.

Consider the story of Alexander the Great, a man whose youth burned with an intensity that few could match. He conquered the known world, and yet, as he aged and suffered the toll of battle and time, he too faced the reality that his body could not endure the same frenzied pace. In his later years, Alexander often spoke of returning to the strength he once had, convinced that in time, his vigor would be restored. But the toll of the years, like a relentless river, had worn him down. His great mind remained sharp, but his body began to betray him. The lesson here is not that middle age is a time to despair, but a time to acknowledge that the force of time will not be denied, no matter how great the man.

Don Marquis speaks to this very notion—how, in middle age, there is a sense of denial that begins to take root. The man in the prime of his years is like a tree that still believes in its own eternal youth, though the roots are beginning to weaken. He tells himself, "In just a short time, I will feel as strong as I once was." And yet, the world around him is changing, as are his own hands and his heart. This delusion is not born of foolishness but of the human spirit's unwillingness to face the inevitable. We all cling to the hope that time will restore what has been lost, that we will return to a place of perfect health and boundless energy.

But in the lessons of the ancients, we find that true wisdom is not in resisting the passage of time but in accepting it. Confucius, though he lived to an old age, did not lament the loss of his youth. Instead, he accepted that as his body grew frail, his wisdom deepened. He sought not to regain the strength of his youth, but to embrace the wisdom that came with age. It is not that the elderly are without power or value, but that they have learned to harness their experience rather than rely on the fleeting vigor of their bodies. The wise know that time does not regress; it moves forward, and in that forward motion, there is growth.

The lesson, then, for the man in middle age is this: do not spend your days in the hope that youth will return, for that is an impossible dream. Instead, seek to harness the strengths that come with age. The strength of experience, the clarity of perspective, and the deep peace that comes from understanding the world and oneself. The joy of middle age is not in the restoration of what was, but in the revelation of what has been gained through living, through facing the challenges of time and finding peace in them.

What, then, is the practical action to take in your own life? It is this: rather than clinging to the illusion of returning to a former state of being, embrace the wisdom that time offers. Acknowledge that your body may no longer run as swiftly, but your mind can now see more clearly. Let middle age be a time of empowerment, not of regret. Seek to live with balance, accepting the changes that come, and embracing the new strengths that come with them. The ancient sages did not fear the passing of time, for they knew that each season of life offers its own treasures.

Remember, O children of the future, that life is a series of transitions. From youth to middle age, from middle age to old age, each stage brings its own blessings. Do not fear the passage of time, but honor it. Embrace the truth that youth is but a fleeting moment, and in its place, wisdom and experience emerge. Let this guide you in your own journey, as you walk through the seasons of your life. Let middle age not be a time of loss, but a time of rediscovery, of stepping into the fullness of the person you have become.