Road to Wisdom

I know two people suffering from macular degeneration. One of them is my dad, the other my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law is practically blind; she can only see from the periphery. I write her short letters every week in huge type. She enjoys them very much because she can sit in her armchair and read like a regular person. For everyday mail, she uses a special machine that enlarges type under a bright light.
As I said, my father's vision is also failing and I am told this is a genetic disease. My optometrist suggested I take daily multivitamins while my body can still absorb it (!) as prevention. I haven't noticed any deterioration to my eyes and only think about my health when it fails me or my friends.
I was reading a friend's blog before writing this: she is realizing she needs to slow down on competitive sports.
And so I wonder. I wonder where the young people go when they are no longer young but don't yet know it. Still in denial phase. Still grieving yesterday's strenght.
Where will we next get our joy from? Our sense of purpose? We need to evolve our sense of identity to another level. Develop compassion for ourselves and others. Go for Wisdom, perhaps? (it's hard to not be competitive about it: I will be wiser than you, sooner than you. Ha!)
Maybe losing the fine details of my vision will help me see the big picture? Surely there is some sense to this?