I am very fortunate to still, at age 73, to have an ongoing relationship with my childhood “best friend”. We live in adjacent states, and are able to meet each other in the City once a month or so.
But I do have something to add to the “nostalgia thing” in the story and the comments. I think we tend to romanticize our childhoods and to mentally edit out the bad memories. I’ve heard it said that “Anyone who carries on about how happy they were as teenagers, doesn’t remember Algebra”. At age 73, semi-retired, with two beautiful grandchildren and my wife of 42 years at my side, I am happier now than I ever was when I was younger.
1. I don’t obsess about what others think about me.
2. I don’t carry on relationships that I don’t enjoy.
3. I don’t allow anyone to send me on a guilt trip.
4. I eat when I’m hungry, drink when I’m dry and sleep when I’m tired.
5. I don’t have the compulsive desire to “get ahead” or compete.
6. I don’t worry about anything. “Que Sera, Sera”.
Although I enjoyed my childhood, more or less, it was nowhere near what I have now.
