The 5 Stages Of Your Life

For our year end break in 2015, my family and I decided to go to Florence, Italy.

Many have argued that Florence was the starting place for what historians termed as the Renaissance.

The Renaissance was a cultural movement, from the 14th to the 17th century, and was widely considered as the bridge between the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Early Modern Age.

The movement spread rapidly from Florence to the rest of Italy and Europe, and eventually to the world at large.

It has influenced many areas of our lives, including philosophy, politics, science, literature, religion, music, art, and other aspects of intellectual and artistic pursuits.

Some of the many radical breakthroughs during the Renaissance were widespread educational reform and resurgence of learning.

One of the important developments was the discovery, promotion and communication of truths based on scientific method.

As a result of greater reliance on evidence and inductive reasoning rather than on assertion, there were many great discoveries and breakthroughs.

For example, when Christopher Columbus discovered the New World in 1492, it challenged and eventually changed the belief of the common men and even scientists of the day such as Claudius Ptolemy.

Ptolemy’s widely-accepted map was eventually modified because of the new discovery.

The spread of the Renaissance was underpinned by the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1439.

Printing democratized learning and promoted a faster transmission of new ideas and discoveries.

It helped to launch a new age.

Hence, the Renaissance – which in essence means “Rebirth” in French. The word first appeared in English in the 1830s.

The Renaissance was significant because it started a trend for challenging previously-held mindset and beliefs.

In the process of discovering the truth and pursuing a better way of life, it led to a period of major advancement and progress.

As I reflected on the Renaissance, I felt that there’s a need for the world to launch into another new age.

Looking back, the Agrarian Age was about survival.

It was about learning how to live and finding the resources to stay alive in the near future..

We went from the Agrarian Age to the Industrial Age and it brought about an unprecedented level of prosperity.

We went from aspiring to meet basic needs to fulfilling different wants, including accumulating possessions and enjoying fleeting pleasures.

One of the downsides of the Industrial Age is the perception that there are scarce resources. Therefore, winning the game of life is a zero sum game.

We learned to compete and somehow subscribe to the belief that the fittest will survive and succeed.

The advent of computerization led us into the Information Age.

During this age, information became more readily available, affordable and accessible.

There was a greater need to cooperate, collaborate, and co-create solutions.

The rise of the Internet and especially social media turned the world increasingly into a global interconnected village.

It launched us into the Knowledge Age.

There Is a greater pursuit of new knowledge, expertise and technology, some of which are disruptive to existing way of life.

More importantly, we are beginning to experience a rise of common voices for our destiny as a human race.

There is a strengthening of collective consciousness that our destiny is intertwined and interdependent on one another.

We share the same responsibility for planet Earth and what we do on it will determine our survival and progress.

We realised that life is more than just about survival or success.

We need to live beyond ourselves and find significance in value-adding to the people and environment around us.

By doing so, we can find a more deep-seated meaning and fulfillment.

As I reflected on the different ages that the world went through historically, I realised that our life is a microcosm of the different major pursuits in these ages.

We went from learning to live to fighting to have more in life.

Then we aspire to fulfill our self-centred goals and become somebody in life.

At some point, we reach an age when we realised that what matter in life may not be made of matter.

What count in life may not be counted.

We begin to value spiritual pursuits, including our connection to the Creator, inner peace, relationships, and contribution to people and the environment.

I believe it’s time for the world and for every one of us to enter into a new Renaissance for an age of greater enlightenment – the Age of Love.

Love is one of the most powerful forces in life. Yet, we have barely scratched the surface to tap this awesome force.

Love really needs no definition or explanation. We are created to love and to be loved.

Love is already embedded within each and every one of us.

As you become more mindful of love and live it out in your life, you will edify yourself and touch others.

At the same time, you will strengthen your capacity and ability to love.

When you live a life of love, you will live a meaningful, happy and fulfilled life.

It is sad that we do not do more to ignite and raise the level of love that our Creator has placed within us. There is every reason to spread more love to the people around us.

Love is a key ingredient to making the world a better home.

The best thing we can do for humanity and for the environment is to love our Creator, ourselves and others.

Therefore, love like you have never loved before.

Love like it’s your last chance to love the people in your life.

Together, we can bring more love to the world.

Together, we can start a Renaissance of Love!

What are your thoughts about the 5 stages of your life? Please share with me.

(Feel free to share the posting if you feel that others can benefit from it.)

Go4It!

I hope this message will find a place in your heart.

By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.

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Life is FUNtastic!