George Bernard Shaw once said…

…”Youth is Wasted on the Young

This makes me wonder what exactly an older, wiser, more sensible person would do if they reclaimed their youth? They wouldn’t get trollied and end up with a splitting head, a ladder in their tights and a traffic cone in their bedroom, because they would have learned that there is more to life than drinking unimaginable amounts of alcohol. They wouldn’t have their electricity cut off, be eating their last tin of baked beans and have shrunk their favourite top in the wash because they would have learnt how to manage their money and that you need to hand wash that top!

Therefore, the question is posed, what is youth? How do we waste it? What would you have to do with it, to not waste it?

To be youthful describes recklessness, naivety, hope, a new journey of discovery and a continual learning curve.

Hence, when I’m older I would like to think that I will look back at my younger years and smile or laugh at the mistakes I made, and the things I got up to. As, surely making mistakes is what being young is all about? Doing things that you would never dare do as an adult, making unwise decisions, that either you manage to escape from only slightly scolded, or get caught and receive a badge of honour to tell your friends about.

When I am older I hope not to tar all of the new youth with a judging sticky, black brush, but to instead remember that when I was young not all of us were bad, we were just learning about life and experimenting with our goals, values and beliefs while we still could. To look at young people and see a little of my old self, instead of seeing naivety that needs to be bashed out as soon as possible; Because with naivety comes hope, dreams, passion and optimism for a bright future and a good world to live in.

I know that in 10, 20, even 40 years time, There will be challenges to face that far outreach the challenges I face now. The challenge of choosing a home, getting a mortgage, the amazing and wonderful challenge of parenthood and all the worry and pride that comes with it. I know that I will look back and maybe see the 19 year old me as having worried about nothing. Writing assignments will seem like something I’d happily trade for all the worries and problems that I now face.

Every stage of life is hard, and I hope that I will always have the supportive people around me to help me along the way that I am lucky enough to have now.

Right now, I think I can say that maybe I am proving George wrong. I do recognise that I am young, I understand that I will make plenty of mistakes along the way to adulthood, thankfully with a bunch of people who love and care about me supporting me along the way.

I will go out and live life to the full – to the max! just after I’ve written these assignments, reclaimed my tax, got over this hangover, sorted out where next months rent is coming from and read the 100 readings in the reading pack.

Believe me George, not wasting youth is on the list…somewhere…

I found this today. It is something I wrote 7 years ago.

What do you think about George Bernard Shaw saying that Youth is Wasted on the young? Do you think it is? If so how can the youth not waste it? What age demographic does the term ‘youth’ relate to. At the age of 19, when I wrote the above, I thought the term ‘youth’ applied to me. I believe I stopped thinking the term applied to me sometime during my 21st year.