To grow old is to grow common. Old age equalizes -- we are aware that what is happening to us has happened to untold numbers from the beginning of time. When we are young we act as if we were the first young people in the world.

Summary

This quote suggests that as we grow older, we realize that the experiences we go through are not unique to us alone. It highlights how old age has a way of leveling and equalizing people, as the challenges and events we face have been encountered by countless individuals throughout history. In contrast, during our youth, we often have a tendency to believe that our experiences and emotions are entirely new and unprecedented. It speaks to the perspective shift that occurs with age, where we become more aware of the collective nature of the human condition.