“Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.”Mark Twain · Scrieri și caiete · 1897 · Scrieri și caiete, Caietele (1897)
Life would be happier if we started with the wisdom of old age and progressed toward the energy of youth.
Twain reverses the natural course of life to highlight the irony of the human condition: in youth we have energy but lack wisdom; in old age we have wisdom but lack energy. If we started with the experience of eighty and moved toward the vigor of eighteen, we would live each stage with the right resources. For example, a young person making a bad choice due to inexperience would avoid it if they had an older person's perspective.
Why it matters This quote makes you appreciate the advantages of every age and seek wisdom from older people, rather than just regretting lost youth.