When I was growing up I remember thinking things like this:
“Geez, my parents are so old!” “Who goes to bed at 10pm? Old people, that's who!” “I’ll never sell out, I’ll never drive a sedan, I’ll never blah-blah-blah-blah!”
And finally:
“I will never be old like them.” Can you hear Rod Stewart singing Forever Young in the background?!
Well, guess what? I’m an idiot because it has all come true and I finally grew up just like everyone else …. and I like it! Something I would never have believed in my younger days!
Here’s a brief look at the “things I never thought I’d do”:
Happily-joyfully go to bed early
Want to read quietly
Not worry as much (I mean, there’s plenty to be concerned about, for sure, but I am able to think about it differently. More thoughtfully, more openly, more hopefully.)
Want to have nothing, absolutely nothing, to do
Listen to country music. This one has been very interesting as I have learned about people like Garth Brooks and fallen in love with songs with lyrics like “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.” Ain’t that just the truth?!
Drive a pickup truck. I love my truck and blame it on my large dog who needs the space!
Turn the television off and enjoy the silence
Read food labels and make the healthy choice
Actively engage in getting exercise just because it’s the right thing to do
Think about retirement (Egads!)
There are a thousand other things I cannot believe I am doing at this phase of life but I guess the truth is that we all morph into someone we never could have imagined. We all grow and change, and that really is a good thing, because the person I was in my twenties was as dumb as a box of rocks. I think I like this older, wiser version of myself!
What are the changes you’ve experienced that your younger self would be surprised to learn?
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