"You end up as you deserve. In old age you must put up with the face, the friends, the health, and the children you have earned"

Life gradually shapes us, not only by the choices we make, but also by the habits, values, and relationships we cultivate. Over years, our attitudes and behaviors carve deeper lines than genetics ever could. The physical face we carry in old age often holds the subtle marks of years spent either smiling in warmth or scowling in bitterness. Our emotions, outlook, and everyday actions etch themselves into our appearances, leaving visible reminders of how we lived and felt.

Friends follow a similar principle. Lifelong companions don't simply materialize at random; they are forged through kindness, loyalty, and mutual understanding. Those who invest time and effort into friendships, nurturing bonds through honesty and support, find themselves surrounded by people who care in return. Meanwhile, those who neglect these relationships or foster toxic environments tend to find themselves isolated later on, the choices of youth echoing back.

Health is also less a lottery than a ledger. While luck and genetics undoubtedly play a role, many aspects of well-being reflect years of daily decisions. Eating habits, activity levels, stress management, and substance use accumulate quietly, shaping the body and mind's resilience or vulnerability. As time unfolds, the tabulations of small choices become increasingly evident, leaving a person to face the outcome of their own stewardship.

Even the children we raise mirror our influence. The values instilled, the guidance offered, and the example set over decades manifest in the adults our children become. When nurtured with wisdom, patience, and love, they carry forward the legacy of a life well-lived. Alternatively, disregard or neglect in parenting rarely goes without lasting consequences.

Ultimately, the passage of years is uncompromising. Time reveals, with sometimes brutal honesty, what we have truly valued and prioritized. When we reach old age, we sit in the company of our own decisions, surrounded by the physical, emotional, and social fruits of the seeds sown throughout life. The rewards or regrets we encounter are intimately tied to what we have earned by who we chose to be.