There is no wisdom of the ages in this phrase, but there is so much painful life truth in it that you want to remember it, write it down and never forget it. If you are under 50, of course. After 50 years, it is almost useless and even harmful to stir up your soul with it.
This is not a quote from a sage, philosopher or psychologist about how to live this life. This phrase of the hero of the series "Silent Witness", which I heard and immediately wrote down, because it hit me in the heart. Because it lay down on the already fertilized soil from the torments, throwings and experiences inherent in the crisis of my personal age.
Reset life to factory settings
It is generally accepted that the notorious midlife crisis, as well as the desire to change one's life, starting all over from scratch, is characteristic of people who are unsettled, somewhat unhappy, unsatisfied. But in my environment, I observe that even in happy families during this period there is a search for new selves and an attempt to reformat their usual life.
You know, like in glitched gadgets that need to be reset to factory settings in order to erase all installed programs, clear the memory, and only then they can work as before. For some, what has been loaded into it for years is valuable, for others it is a dangerous and poisonous ballast that reduces performance.
Starts late, ends fast
The period of 30 and 50 years is the time for the last breakthrough, which will make life qualitatively better, filling it with new meaning for the remaining years.
This is the last period when you can give birth to a child and have time to bring it to adulthood.
This is the last period when you can break with the old work and plunge into a new activity, fully devoting yourself to it as a matter of life.
This is the last period when you can get out of obsolete relationships and have time to start new ones, fully immersing yourself in them with all the joys of life (if you know what I mean).
The quote "At 40, life is just beginning" is closer to the truth than "50 is the new 30". And this is not ageism, but an adequate perception of reality. Even if optimists leave themselves (or all of us) another 30 years of life after 50.
At 40, life begins, but then it begins to end. Therefore, it is better to fit into sharp turns, if not in youth, then in early maturity. After all, the meaning is not in the turn itself, but in the road to which it redirects. And it is better if it is long, wide and without potholes.
