Most
of us know about the phases of life which we label to parallel different age groups and life stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. We think
of infancy before childhood and middle age before old age, with each unique phase
bringing its own peculiar set of challenges. These challenges can be overcome by
acquainting ourselves with them, such as the child's need to learn, the adult's need
to find the right career and build a family, and the senior's need for support and good
health care
2 Interestingly, ideas about the stages of life are changing
3 In previous times, people didn't have a solid idea of childhood as being separate from
adulthood. A hundred years ago, no one thought of adolescence. Until recently it was
understood as a norm that their induction to adulthood was completed as soon as they
graduated from college. They would now find a sensible job which would lead to a
career. Then during this career they would start a family, ideally before they turned 30
Today we have an equivalent need to recognize a new phase of life that comes after
Journey through the
odyssey years
