What are the stages of life?

As we grow, we pass through various stages of life. As a youngster, we are trying to make sense of the world and take many directions from our parents. As we grow older, we forge our own identities if we have been appropriately fostered. As young adults, we are searching for a life partner. Later in our adult lives, we push through our careers and potentially rear children. As we raise our children, we hope that their lives far exceed ours. Our brains form differently during these different periods. Our goals change and morph, not always entirely under our power.