To Lise: your sentiments echoed - and amplified.
To Greycat: I've found it just keeps getting better, still some exciting passages here and there, but with the years comes more contentment (you sort of get to know who and where you are, and have the necessary skill to meticulously repeat old mistakes without feeling the previously devastating after-effects). Best of all, you keep your dreams and ideals intact (this used to be a great concern of mine in my youth: will my ideals alter? They didn't, but my expectations lowered).