Youth would be an ideal state if it came later in life — Herbert Asquith
I paraphrased the Asquith quote in the title of this post but the message is the same. I have always had the feeling that our given stages of life are somehow out of their most idealistic order. When we are young we have a seemingly endless supply of energy and vigor but we also are plagued with a lack of experience and wisdom that come later that come much later in life. If only we could reserve some of that energy for when we can most wisely use it! 🙂
The same goes for our leisure time. When we are young and just starting out in our career choice, at least for those of us who actually choose a career, we have little time to do things that are not related to making a living. We are concentrated on learning as much as we can and hopefully impressing our bosses. When we finally have the time to do other things after we retire we are usually drained of a very large percentage of the youthful energy. If only we could retire at an early age to just have some fun and then in mid-life start our careers…
Youth is wasted on the young who don’t really appreciate it or know what to really do with it..
About the Author
Herbert Asquith was the Prime Minister of England in the early 1900’s He was of royal blood and known as the First Earl of Oxford. That royalty stuff was really important back then. He was a very notable peace time minister but with the coming of World War I he proved not up to managing the war efforts and was replaced by David Lloyd George in 1916.
RJ's Corner 
Then again, if we knew all we know now, might it not spoil our youth? The joy of youth came not only from the physical but from our relatively innocent sponge-like minds. So much to learn. Not knowing what was to come was exciting…all things were possible. If I knew then what I know now I might take a different path but who knows if that would be better? I don’t know, I think the plan of God or nature has probably worked just as it should. Even if we can’t always understand it.
Just a thought.
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Yeah Jane, I understand your perspective. If I knew then what I know now, it would have changed some things. Many of us grow more cynical as we age. We see things going backwards instead of forwards and that spoils our views of life. Mark Twain was one of the most noticeable. His writings in the later part of his life were bitter indeed.
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