Friday 8 November 2013

Would You Be Young Again?

I was just scrolling through Huffington Post articles when I came across this one, entitled "7 Reasons I would Never Want to be Young Again". (I know, why 7?) The gist of the piece is that the author is happier/more secure post-50 than she was at 30. Most of the commenters however, said they'd love to go back to their youth with their present head on their shoulders, if you follow my meaning.

Not that we even have a choice, but personally, I would love to go back to my twenties with this head on, (minus the wrinkles and diminishing eyesight) and re-live a couple of episodes. I don't believe in harboring regrets (what's the point?) but it would be fun to replay certain scenes.

Like the odd unrequited crush that I should've seen for what it was - "He's just not that into you." Or, in real-life-speak - "If he really liked you he would phone/turn up on time/turn up sober/not blow hot and cold etc." (Obviously not referring to the one that eventually became the Ball & Chain.) Actually, such scenes would have ended up on the cutting room floor, rather than being re-written. A quick tap on the "delete" button, would have taken care of things very nicely.

Or the friend who was so riddled with self-doubt she thought everyone was after every single boyfriend she had and made no bones about it. I was obviously too nice back then and my "shove this for a game of soldiers" attitude wasn't fully developed. These days I probably would've just held a mirror up to her face and walked. Or if that was too subtle, told her exactly why I wasn't remotely interested in whatever irresistible boyfriend she was currently sparring over.

Or the boss who made Whats-her-face from "The Devil Wears Prada" look like Mother Theresa. That Christmas Eve morning, when, devoid of any kind of life herself, she phoned me at 6am to let me know that she had driven her sorry arse into the office and wanted to "go over a few things". Actually, come to think of it, that was quite a good scene because the report she was demanding was right in front of her. I even got an "Oh, okay then" before she hung up. Yessss. And I managed to go back to bed and actually fall asleep.

Oooh, I'm having fun here.

The other reason I'd go back, if briefly, would be to tell myself how gorgeous I was. I mean, let's face it, anyone with a flat stomach, pert boobies and a smooth complexion is gorgeous to me. And that's just the men! I didn't "turn heads" as I walked down the street you understand, but, like most women of that age, I had absolutely nothing to complain about and should have been lot kinder to myself.

Another way to achieve all this would be to have our 20 or 30 year old self visit our current life for a day! Now that would be something.

Thoughts anyone?







13 comments:

  1. Love where I am now. Plus I get to swear as I please and don't have to apologise to anyone.
    Apart from my mother.

    Tsk.

    LCM x

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  2. Would totally go back for a day and enjoy being young, free and thin without having to pick anyone up from school, cook dinner or shop for 'healthy' food. Bring it on!

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  3. I am content in my life now but I've been through a lot to get here. A big part of me would go back to my 20s and do it all again, because during that decade I made the biggest mistake of my life, and if I had the chance to go back in time, I wouldn't have made that mistake.

    But, if I'd have gone back in time and relived that error that changed my whole life, I wouldn't now have Amy, my beautiful daughter. So perhaps regret is too strong a word, and there's no point dwelling on the what ifs. I feel as though I've had two different lives, and each one has been fulfilling.

    So in answer to your question; I think I'd say no, I don't want to go back, because what I have in my life now I couldn't live without.

    CJ x

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  4. Agree CJ - I would only go back to isolated incidents and slap someone around the back of the head!

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  5. I would definately go back and delete a few things, but only for my convenience, not that of anyone else! I would also go back and slap a few people, well, one actually!! Otherwise, what will be will be. I don't have any regrets, even about the things that I would delete, I screw up all the time, but I try to only screw something up once. I think that we need the younger and the older, and that each can learn from the other!

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  6. What you said, about wishing you'd loved your young body more. I used to wish I had a flat tummy, and worry that my thighs were fat. Ha! Ridiculous!

    I think I would go back, and try to give myself slightly bigger horizons. I don't think I was ambitious enough, career-wise and maybe in other ways too. But then it's hard to judge, because we're very much products of the age we live in, and I'm probably projecting some of today's wisdom on yesterday's era.

    And I would tell my younger self to get over a broken heart quicker. There were indeed other fish in the sea, and it was a shame to waste I'm-not-telling-how-long languishing, hoping that the dud fish would swim back.

    Oh, I've come over all nostalgic now.

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  7. Would not go back if it meant having to be the me I was in my twenties. I thought it was fine at the time but I was far too concerned with what other people thought of me and not relaxed enough just to do what I wanted. I think post 50 is just fine. But yes to appreciating what you have in the way of youth and looks. I thought I had fat legs for Christ's sake. Looking at the photos I could have given Twiggy a run for her money!

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  8. This post reminds me of the Robert Frost poem! (Two roads diverged in a yellow wood; and sorry I could not travel both... "The Road Not Taken").

    If I COULD go back it would mainly be to slap myself for hating my body and thinking I wasn't up to par. And to tweak a few other things. But other than that I'm fairly happy with where I am in life.

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  9. The hating your wonderful young body thing is such a recurrent theme. I hope the next generation doesn't do the same, but I fear it might be even worse for them. It's tragic, really. All those beautiful young women focusing on the one small aspect of their body that they're not happy with, instead of rejoicing in their youth and beauty.

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  10. Love this post!! Would definitely like to go back to tell a few people a few home truths, that my twenty something or thirty something self couldn't bring herself to say/do. But being 50 plus is rather peaceful... apart from four thundering children and a shouty husband. Love it though! Hugs xxx

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  11. Iota - I was having a similar conversation with some older friends. I think most young women these days are more comfortable with their "curves" than we would have been. By that I mean, you would never have seen young girls walking around with muffin tops hanging over the top of jeans the way you do now. In my younger days it was the fashion to be built like a boy from the waist down but the big booty seems to be all the rage today.

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  12. The one thing that would stop me going back to my younger me and bitch-slapping her a few times is the fear that- by changing any of those moments in any way, I would somehow end up in an alternate universe where I didn't have all that I have right now: my husband, our children, our home, our life, our friends. Life is by no means easy but I have everything I ever wanted and I wouldn't risk that for anything.

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  13. Ah Kelly - but I can wave my magic wand and allow us all to go back, slap a few people around (including ourselves) and not change the future unless we want to.

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