The Elderly Youth

Throughout the years, youth has transcended from being an age group to a set of characteristics that define a person. Being ‘youthful’ means to be full of energy, vitality and optimism. It’s considered to be the period where your possibilities seem limitless, and all you have to do is take the first step. Here’s the catch: everything I said above is the outdated take on youth. In today’s times, people consider themselves to be old ever since their teens. The phrase “I’m so old” has been bounced around so much that it has lost all meaning. It’s a self-defeating declaration that you are past your prime. At this rate, you’d feel like an artefact when you’re 40. What is ironical is that young people want to grow old; because they think it gives them more liberty and widens their possibilities, while old people think the exact opposite. Old is linked with wise, while young is thought of as rebellious and energetic. It’s the modern adaptation of the ‘grass is green’ phenomenon. Nostalgia seems to be the new cool. Instead of choosing to utilise the opportunities a person has at any given time, he/she chooses to look back at the past with rose-tinted glasses. This is almost a sort of narcissism or self-obsession with your past self that you are not able to see what the future holds.

It’s time to give up the act. Instead of being stuck in your thoughts or in the past, reflect upon your life. Reflection differs from being nostalgic in the sense that you are deriving meaning and lessons from your past actions rather than thinking everything was way better back then. Your mind suppresses negative actions from your memory which gives you this idea of wishing to go back to your past. This just serves to make it harder to move on with your life. Once you accept and cherish the cards you have been dealt, you will be able to move forward unshackled into whatever life has in store for you. Growing up and being mature is associated with seriousness and being grumpy. These qualities are actually exhibited by bitter, regretful people. By understanding the realities of the world and yet remaining hopeful of the future and choosing the role you want in it-that’s growing up. By doing this, you will have both wisdom and optimism-the best of both ages. Choose your battles and give it your best shot, and above all, never regret the choices you made. Instead, learn from them.