Paradigm shifting.

So residency is done.  We are moved.  While our move isn't totally complete (we have a few small totes, bicycles, etc...) to pick up later this week we are definitely IN the new house.

I subscribe to the theory that good things come in threes.  I also believe that life can be fairly succinctly divided into three phases over a variety of classifications.

The easiest is by age.  With an average lifespan approaching 90, ages 1-29 represent Early Life, ages 30-59 represent Middle Life, and of course 60-90 represents Late Life.  Notice the avoidance of using the word "Old".  Old is a state of mind and body.  I have seen plenty of people firmly in their Middle Life, or even late in their Early Life who I would classify as Old, and even a few people in Late Life who I would classify as young (Here's looking at you Grandma).  And for any of you wonder what 91+ is... well thats just bonus.

Another, more abstract way to view life in phases is by our education/occupation.  This one is a little more maleable, and many people shift back and forth between phases on occasion.  The first is Education, the second is Occupation, and the last is Retirement.

One can also use the life cycle to divide one's life.  Youth, Parenthood, and Grandparenthood.  One could add Great-Grandparenthood, but like the 90+ category that is more of a bonus (although it becomes more and more common as life expectancy climbs).

I am sure that there are many more ways to divide life.  But those come to mind as some of the most significant.  And even if they aren't the most significant overall they are certainly significant to me at this moment because I find myself readying to transition to the next phase in all three of those categories.  This year, I will turn 30, become a parent, and will have left Education for Occupation.  All within 2 months.  It is certainly a lot to get used to at once.  As a friend recently described it to me "Its like drinking life from a firehose".  And that is the truth.

Mind now this isn't bad.  In fact, it is all very very good.  I am loving life at the moment.  The completion of Residency is thrilling.  That place was wearing me thin.  Not down, but thin.

But still all of those transitions have taken me somewhat aback.  I find myself wistfully contemplating upon the stages which I am finishing up.  I have lived a blessed, AND charmed life.  Of that I have no doubt.  And thinking on the relative eternity of my progress to this point, and the memories contained within that progress I still find myself saddened by opportunities missed, and roads not taken.  By life expectancy 1/3 of me is gone.  By relativistic time its closer to 80%.  Thats a lot of time.  I hope I can make the most of the next stages.


Stay Healthy!