Now a legend of American literature, known for mentoring young sensations such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway as part of her Paris Salon, author Gertrude Stein was well into her thirties when she first published her work. Stein’s writing style became more experimental as she grew older, shunning the linear plot conventions of the time for more sprawling, reflective writing. Her words here remind us that though getting older is often disparaged, it offers us valuable experience and wisdom that inspire us to change as people — and that’s something to be grateful for.