"Youth is a silly, vapid state, Old age with fears and ills is rife; This simple boon I beg of Fate - A thousand years of Middle Life"

This quote by Carolyn Wells speaks to the idea that the middle years of life are the most desirable. She recommends that youth is a silly and vapid state, and that old age is filled with worries and diseases. She is asking Fate to give her a thousand years of middle life, implying that this is the time of life that she values the most. This quote speaks with the concept that the middle years of life are the most desirable since they are a time of balance between the naivety of youth and the concerns of old age. It is a time of life when one can enjoy the very best of both worlds, and it is a time of life that is frequently considered given. The quote likewise talks to the idea that life is short lived, and that we ought to maximize the time we have.