Rewind
Older Adults Share The Things They Took For Granted When They Were Younger, And It's Poignant
As we age, it’s common to reflect on the past and all the things we should have appreciated a whole lot more. And, sometimes, it isn’t until you’re older that you realize all the things you took for granted. Recently, I asked the older adults of the BuzzFeed Community to share what they had taken for granted the most when they were younger, and the responses were poignant. Here are some of the stories that might just make you appreciate what you have even more until it’s gone:
1. “Optimism. The feeling that I could do anything in the world that I wanted to. Every option seemed attainable; daydreaming about the life I would have one day was so fun! I’d do anything to go back to my childhood and relive those days.”
2. “Recovery time. When I was young and had a hard workout, a long run, or a minor injury, I was back to baseline the next day. Now, I feel the effects of strenuous exercise for days, and injuries stick around.”
—Rob, 56, Pennsylvania
3. “Spontaneity. Fewer people meant fewer crowds and fewer restrictions. On a Friday, you could decide to go camping over the weekend and just go. Now, you have to plan months in advance to secure permits, campsites, and more. And it’s not just camping — it’s with almost everything: travel, dining, getting event tickets, and even shopping. You always have to plan ahead now.”
4. “I wish I had more photos, let alone good ones. I wish I’d had more pictures of my rooms and places I went.”
5. “That my family would always be there. As the eldest, I expected to die first. Instead, I lost my son to an undiagnosed illness while still in my 50s. Nothing in life is assured, and expectations can be blown up in an instant.”
6. “On a local level, I felt safer. Being out and about and outside was easier because I didn’t have the privilege or burden of a cellphone. I felt much less decision fatigue and was less aware of things like climate change, which I didn’t know about, and therefore, couldn’t worry about.”
—JC, 67
7. “The ability to focus and multitask. I used to be able to juggle 8–12 projects at a time. I could put one down and pick another up that I hadn’t worked on in weeks and know exactly where I was, the next steps, who I might be waiting on, and all the deadlines. All of it. Now, I have to use every bit of concentration just to make a grocery list.”
8. “I spent so much of my teens and 20s worrying about how my body looked in a swimsuit. Looking back at old photos, I wish I could tell that lil’ hottie to love herself and flaunt those curves.”
—Becky, 50, Wisconsin
9. “At 15, I got my first actual paycheck job (instead of babysitting). That was the last summer I chose to go on vacation with my family. I wish I would’ve focused on quality time instead of money.”
10. “My health — particularly, my dental health.”
—Rickey, 62, North Carolina
11. “My mom. I would call her for advice on everything and anything. She’s been gone for 13 years, and I still think, ‘Mom would know what to do’ whenever I have a problem.”
12. “Time. I wasted SO MUCH time when I was younger. I acted like I had an infinite supply of it. I could have gone to college and gotten a degree; I could have taken better care of my body by exercising; I could have spent more time with my brother, who died at the young age of 38. I definitely took time for granted.”
—Candi, Oklahoma
13. “Having good skin. I suffer from chronic eczema and always wish I’d taken better care of my skin when I was younger and not been a cheapskate when it came to products.”
14. “I miss the fact that all of our neighbors were ‘pseudo parents.’ If one of us kids got hurt, the first parent to notice cared for us until Mom and Dad could be found. If we were hungry or thirsty, a parent on the block would bring cookies and juice. Likewise, if a parent yelled, ‘Get out of the street!’ every kid got back on the sidewalk. It didn’t matter whose parent said it because we’d all listen.”
—Anonymous
15. “Spending time with my grandparents and other older relatives. I wish I’d spent more time asking them about their memories, experiences, and older relatives they knew, but I never met. My great-uncle, for instance, spent a lot of time with his grandfather, who fought for the Union in the Civil War. I’d love to know more about him.”
16. Lastly: “I took looking at the moon for granted. I had no idea that by the time I was 40, my eyesight would start to get blurry, and things would have aural rings around them (light reflected in the dark). It’s not a big deal, but had I known, I might have appreciated the moon more when I was younger.”
BRB, gonna stare at the moon in childlike wonder and try not to cry about the things I just read. If you’re an older adult, what are some things you didn’t appreciate enough when you were younger? What are some things you took for granted? Let me know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your story using this form.
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
