Age and Experience

There are some good things about getting older. When you are young every first disappointment and disaster is literally the worse thing that's ever happened. As you get older you get a lot more experience dealing with the crud of life. That's a gift.

As a young person you freak out when the cute girl doesn't like you, your car breaks down and you step in dog poop on the way home. When you become a mature adult every relationship is not a crisis. Cars have broken down so often that you've developed skills to deal with it. You've changed baby diapers filled with weapons grade poop that would put any dog to shame. Then you make yourself a sandwich because you haven't lost your appetite.

One of big skills in life is knowing that, over time, most things sort themselves out. You learn how to fix what can be fixed and how to endure the stuff you can't.

When you are young even a bright sunny day might not make you happy. As a mature adult you feel great when no one's shooting at you. Heck, some days you feel great because those shooting at you have lousy aim.

The future will have a lot of challenges. Any fool can see at least the potential for tough times ahead. Thank goodness I've done my time in the trenches. It gives me a bit of perspective.

I do not believe that what does not kill us makes us stronger. Sometimes what does not kill us leaves us maimed for life. Sometimes it kills us. However, it's been my experience that scars are often the price that has to be paid -so you pay it and move on.

-Sixbears