Being elderly puts you into a unique position in life. Everyone is young at some point, but not everyone becomes elderly. When we are young we understand what it is like to be young. When we are middle aged we understand what it is like to be young, as well as middle aged. But when we are young, or when we are middle aged, we have no comprehension as to what it is like to be elderly. We only seem to be able to understand (speaking in general terms) what is behind us, not ahead of us.