Being You Wish to Be

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow into salvation. (1 Peter 2:2)

Each stage of life has its blessings and challenges. For babies, our existence is about trust or mistrust. For elementary school children, it is about affirmation or inferiority. For adolescents, it is about identity or confused roles. Darius Foroux, in his article “The 8 Stages of Life That Make or Break You,” describes early adulthood, 19-40 years of age, as Intimacy vs. Isolation, as we carve out our family, friends, and career. If these areas of life are ignored or fall short of expectations, we experience isolation.

The middle years of adulthood are ages 40-65, and Foroux describes them as Generativity vs. Stagnation. At this stage, we should solidify our careers and relationships. We expect to know who we are and what matters in life. If we are struggling, we tend to compensate by trying to define our identity by impressing others. When you are mature, Foroux claims, you “focus on learning and living more.”

Finally, the retirement years are their own challenge. Life is more than just having enough to live comfortably without work income. Completeness is feeling satisfaction in life’s achievements. We find joy when we feel a sense of wisdom from our lifetime of experience. Regret is found in this group because it is often too late to address unresolved pain. Bitterness can win the day.

I pray all people will realize the joy and contentment of relying on faith at each stage of life. From baptism in infancy, we provide the trust that you are given care. God and God’s Church provide adolescents with intimacy over isolation. Each stage of adulthood receives the support necessary to feel whole in older age. Today, recommit yourself to your God and your church. If you want to live meaningfully at each stage of your life, God and the faith community should be part of your development, now and for eternity.