Aristotle notices something we often miss: learning isn't merely a luxury or self-improvement project, but a practical shelter with different purposes for different seasons of life. Most people associate education with youth and career advancement, yet he positions it as equally vital when fortune turns against us—not as distraction, but as genuine sustenance. A person who has cultivated their mind finds unexpected solace when illness, loss, or circumstance strips away other comforts; that internal landscape remains accessible. Consider someone laid off after decades in their field: those who read widely, who know history and science and philosophy, have not lost their livelihood but have retained their sense of self and their ability to think themselves toward what comes next.