A vexing feeling of being pushed along by the years gradually builds up, until one day you find yourself high and dry on the shoals of life. Middle age creeps up on you "The new waves on the Yangtze River push the old waves along" -i.e.
被年歲推著走的焦躁感慢慢累積，終至發現自己擱淺在生命淺灘上，進退失據。