Stages

Birth to 5.... foundation
6-12..... character
12-21...... experience
22-40....... practice and support
41-60....... investing
60- eternity.... legacy

In my humble opinion these are the stages of life.

Foundation~
Babies and toddlers absorb the world around them like no other stage of life ever. Breast fed babies are scientifically proven to have fewer allergies, fewer ear infections, less likelihood of obesity later in life, as well as the advantages of the mother's immunities and a strong bonding. A person can make it through life, and even thrive no matter what the first five years of that persons life were like, but language, health, and emotional stability hinge strongly on the first five years.

Character~
In my humble opinion the next stage develops the strongest character for better or worse. The person we are or become during this phase is the character we will continually lean on throughout the rest of our lives. We all have natural tendencies, but how we allow ourselves to give in to weaknesses or encourage strengths becomes evident and the cement hardens, so to speak, in this phase. We take that character on to the next phase and make of it what we will....

Experience~
How we treat others, how they treat us, people person or book worm, mall fly or computer nerd. The first job, the first kiss, driving, our first taste of independence, college or hard knocks......

Practice and Support~
We take those experiences and put our choices to work for us as adults with responsibilities, families, careers, dreams...... it really helps if there is a lot of support during this time, from community, family, friends, but it is possible to get by without it. Support allows more room for breathing, and laughing, and loving. Practice, practice, practice.... will it ever make perfect?

Investing~
Not likely to make perfect, but if we played our cards right, and if there was a little luck smiling in our direction, then at this phase there should be a nest egg incubating, a home mortgage somewhere in the processes, a bit of earth to call our own, or a shingle on the door. So that hopefully by the time our knees give out on us we will be able to rest... to retire.

Legacy~
Retire to what? That is the legacy. Who are we? What has the sum of our life added up to? Are we lonely or loved? Wealthy or fearful of how to pay for the next doctor bill? Are there grandchildren or pets or hobbies or vacation homes or books to write or stories to tell? Where will we end up, who will remember, who will care?

IMHO anyway......