when I was young and stupid: as long as they were breathing I was just fine with that.

when I was merely young and moderately stupid: they had to be breathing and pay attention to what was being said.

when I was technically still young and was experiencing the dawning of a glimpse of a clue: They had to be breathing, could at least have one thing in common and had a reason to live.

when I was no longer young but still believed I was and thought I had a clue, but actually didn't: They had to be breathing, have a few things in common and not only had a reason to live but started supporting that concept with action.

when I was no longer young and finally stopped pretending I was and it dawned on me that while I might be getting a clue, it was the wrong clue: They had to be breathing, more than a few things in common, able to hold a conversation and had a passion for something.

when I was not young anymore and understood that I was an adult (whether I liked it or not) and the clue I thought I once had turned out to be an illusion: they had to be breathing, we shared some interests, no only had conversations, but conversations on topics that mattered and had not only a passion but actually pursued that passion as a career.

When I was finally an adult (mostly on paper but still not in mind) and my past illusions of life and the clues I thought I had seem to shift and change as I began to see life for the reality it actually is: They still had to be breathing, we saw eye to eye on many an important topic, had wonderful conversations about impassioned topics that effected our lives directly and passionately worked toward making those concepts a reality.

Now, as I am middle aged and while my young thoughts are still there, I look upon them as wonderful memories, my past illusions and clues about life have given away to reality of the stress of coming old age. I see the path of humanity laid out before me as a struggle of passion, art and peace: the person in my life while still needs to be breathing, no only shares that passion but shares it willingly with love and without question. We embrace life, cast away the frivolousness of wasted energy and concentrate on making a better world.

Do I have a clue yet? no, but I feel now that the person I'm with, shares with me a road in which we both search for that clue together.