In youth we run into difficulties. In old age difficulties run into us.

Sills contrasts the agency and momentum of youth with the vulnerability and accumulation of burdens in old age. When young, people often “run into” trouble through risk-taking, ambition, or inexperience—difficulties are partly self-chosen and can feel like obstacles to be overcome. With age, however, challenges can arrive unbidden: illness, loss, financial or family responsibilities, and the sheer narrowing of time and energy. The reversal in phrasing underscores a shift from control to contingency, suggesting that maturity involves not just wisdom but also endurance and adaptation to problems that seek us out rather than ones we seek.