Third Third: an Age or a Stage?

Our friend Bob said he wasn’t really in his Third Third: “I have a 15-year-old,” he said.

“How old are you, Bob?”

“60.”

“You’re in your Third Third.”

But my friend Carrie had an eloquent description of her Third Third: “I actually refer to this time as my last unchartered chapters. These are the chapters that I write myself rather than parents or bosses giving me a title or direction.”

So where would Jinnie fall? She’s launched her son and started a new life in Art, but she’s only in her 40s.

And Karen said she’s older than her Third Third; she’s in her Seventh Ninth. “Karen,” I said. “It’s all a subset of our Third Third.”

But the funniest – and I’m still laughing over this – is David’s view. Not only did David father a child at 59 – so launch is pretty far off – but he’s survived several near-fatal health issues and still looks great. David says he’s in his Fourth Third.