Ego psychologist Erik Erikson developed a theory of development that centers on psychosocial development and has been extremely influential in all fields of psychology. It consists of eight stages:
- Stage 1 - Trust vs. Mistrust
- Stage 2 - Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
- Stage 3 - Initiative vs. Guilt
- Stage 4 - Industry vs. Inferiority
- Stage 5 - Identity vs. Confusion
- Stage 6 - Intimacy vs. Isolation
- Stage 7 - Generativity vs. Stagnation
- Stage 8 - Integrity vs. Despair
Stage 8 is the last one. It starts around age 65 and lasts till death. At this stage, people reflect back on their lives, and whether they are happy with the decisions they made. Those who are unhappy with the way their lives were spent will experience regret and despair. Those who are happy with their lives will feel a sense of integrity and satisfaction.
Therefore, it is likely that Miguel is asking something along the lines of “was my life worth living?” or “if I could go back in time, would I make the same choices?” if he is in this last stage.