Imagine, 900 years of experience.

Occasionally, I'm envious when I look at young people. Thinking it would be nice to be young again. That is, if I knew then what I know now. The benefit of experience. It's too bad that when one finally gains experience, one has aged. Significantly. I guess it's a trade-off. In many ways, life is much better now. Because of the benefit of experience. In so many ways, I can love better now than when I was young. But when I was young, I had more energy. More ability to burn both ends of the candle. But when I was young, I wasted so much time. Sure, I was getting experience. But I didn't know how to use it. To fully savor it. Not until now. And I have the ability to reflect. That helps. I am able to see and comprehend and learn from my many mistakes. I'm fortunate. In that my mind is still intact. It's a more efficient mind than when I was young. Because of stored knowledge. And I appreciate friends much more than I appreciated them when I was younger. Yes, I love more thoroughly and completely than I did 20 or 30 or 40 years ago. In meaningful ways. Maybe it's that I appreciate life more. Anyway, I admit, however, that I am a bit envious of the young. I want everything. I wish, in some ways, that god could make me young again; but with the same knowledge I have now. I suppose that could be accomplished by allowing me to live to 150. In good health. Heck, Methuselah lasted until 900-and-something. I would have liked to know him at 74. And at 150, too. I wonder if at 150 he looked younger than me at 74. And I wonder what he looked like at 900. Was he a truly old man? Anyway, just imagine living with the experience of 900 years of life. Wow! --Jim