Aging is no accident.  It is necessary to the human
condition, intended by the soul. We become more characteristic
of who we are simply by lasting into later years; the older we
become, the more our true natures emerge. Thus the final years
have a very important purpose: the fulfillment and confirmation
of one’s character.
(James Hillman, THE FORCE OF CHARACTER AND THE LASTING
LIFE, 1999)

For an overview of Hillman’s works, see:
http://www.springpublications.com/hillman.html

For a YouTube interview with James Hillman, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja02wofquG8