Y = Youth

Ah the pity.  Youth is wasted on the young.  ~ George Bernard Shaw

Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life.  ~Herbert Henry Asquith

Remember when our parents used to say "Enjoy this time now, when you're older you won't be able to get it back."?  And we all thought, "yeah, right, whatever old farts..."

As 40 looms in the not so far off distance (no - not this year), my mind doesn't feel almost 40 but, my body sure does!  Aches, pains, cracks, and more visits to the chiropractor are certainly in my future.  These crazy people ask if we're going to have - they mean adopt - another child and my answer is always "God knows my limitations.  He will never give me more than I can handle." 

Looking forward, I've come to appreciate what my life has been so far.  I've met some great people and some not so great people.  I've loved and been loved. I've hurt and I've been hurt.  I've had more than my share of losses.  I've counted my blessings and I've wondered if God could possibly bless me again.  And he has, in fact my cup runneth over!

I always loved the question - if you could go back in time to your youth and change anything, what would you change or do differently?  My answer now is nothing.  I wouldn't change anything.  The mistakes I've made in my youth have made me the person I am today.  Each one of them was meant to be a lesson to me.  To teach me.  And they have.

I'm closing in on a milestone in my life, and one thing I have always held close to my heart is the poem Footprints In The Sand.  When I do look back, and at the lowest points, at relationships that failed, friendships that were lost, losing my sister, losing my dad, all of those times when there was only one set of footprints - The Lord said "It was then that I carried you".  I look back at my life, my youth and all of the mistakes I've made, things I thought maybe I should have done differently but, I know those were my times of trial, and my Lord was carrying me through those times just as they were supposed to be.

It's fun to remember the carefree times of being a child, riding bikes until the street lights came on, playing in the sand or the water on the beach, and yes, it's true, I guess I didn't know what I had then.  Yet, I don't think I could have the same appreciation for it now if I did.

My question to you - if you could go back to your youth and change anything, would you?