What age would you go back to?

[Callie McAllie]

This is just a silly little thought-provoker for the group. I watched the movie "17 Again" with my son the other day (simple, brainless fun) and afterward it occurred to me that even if I could go back, I would not want to be 17 again.

I wouldn't mind being 21 again, though, or even 30 again. Or even 38 again. Thinking of specific choices I made at those points in my life that maybe I'd make differently if I could go back knowing what I know now.

How about you? What age would you go back to? :think:

(Of course, I realize that whatever has happened was supposed to happen, and I am what I am because of it, and should not regret it. Anyway, it's all just silliness, because we can't go back. Just something to think about.)

[GliderGuider]

1. 25

I had a choice presented to me when I was 25 and I didn't even realize it. My first wife/teacher opened up the worlds of Zen, Theosophy and Osho to me, and I just said, "That's nice..."

Over 50 years later, I kind of wish sometimes that I'd had the gumption to figure out that stuff was important and the courage to risk my father's anti-spiritual wrath and follow my heart instead of my head.

But, as you say, we all end up where we're supposed to be, exactly when we're supposed to be there. NOW is good.

[Cleita]

2. The years between thirty and forty were a good decade for me over all.

Although, sadly, I lost both my parents then and a few others in the family, I felt less confused and much happier about myself. I also got married to a man I loved and who loved me and I still looked as good as I ever would since then.

[Callie McAllie]

19. Looking good

Oh, ain't that the truth. I remember running in the Hollywood Hills with a friend when I was 35, and she was complaining about her weight (she was thin as a rail) and I stopped and told her we should appreciate our bodies now, because we were probably in the best shape we'd ever be in. It couldn't get any better from then on.

I was so right. And have always been so glad I took that one moment to appreciate myself when I had the chance.

[Why Syzygy]

3. I made a fateful decision at the age of 19

which I would NEVER make again given my current self image. I really didn't think much of myself in those days. I woudln't want to go back to that same insecurity level, though.

[Cleita]

24. Wow, I did too.

It had nothing to do with my self-image though and a lot to do with allowing myself to be pushed into something. I wish I had the moxy then to tell everyone involved to go to Hell.

[northernlights]

4. I'd like to go back to 2000

before all hell broke loose. My life was very good and hopeful in many ways. Maybe just spend a lifetime rafting the colorado in the grand canyon ;)

Other than that, if I could go back and make some different choices, I'd go back to age 13. I was *very* good at science and regret very much not pursuing it. I know why I made the choices I did -- I know that I was misled by my mother and school advisors, and although my physics teacher made it clear he considered me somewhat gifted in the area (almost crying, he told the class I sometimes made him feel 'dumb') he never 'took me under his wing' or advised me to continue in science.

I could have had a much easier and better time financially and been around people I could talk to without being ridiculed for much more of my life.

But I also wouldn't want to have to go through what was done to me again...

[Callie McAllie]

20. It's amazing how people can guide our choices with just a word

I had a high school guidance counselor told me I'd never get into a particular school. I applied anyway and kicked butt on the application, vowing to "show him." And I did.

And while on the surface it was a good decision, so many things would be different about my life if I'd gone someplace else, and some of them would be good things!

We are guided no matter how we respond to what advice people give us, I guess.

[get the red out]

5. 18, if I could live it now

I had some problems with depression come to that no one had a clue what to do about in a teenager in 1982. I always wonder what in my life would have been different if I could have gotten help then.

If I had to got back to the eighties to be 18 again, forget it! I will take 45 without the damn pink and green Izod shirts! :silly:

[MorningGlow]

6. That is a VERY tough question to answer

I've been mulling it over for a while and haven't come up with anything yet. I mean, technically, if I could go back to any previous age with my 43-year-old brain, confidence, and experience, I TOTALLY would, just to kick some butt, stand up for myself, take opportunities that I skipped out of shyness or fear, or avoid situations that got me into trouble big and small, etc. But like you said, if I changed one thing, would it affect my complete future, and what would my life be like now? Totally different, I'd suspect. (It's like one of those time-travel movies or that Twilight Zone episode--or was it Outer Limits--where anything you mess with wreaks havoc on your life and you keep coming back to a vastly different "present".)

So even though I might miss out on nabbing guys I actually wanted but never dared approach, or taking jobs that would have been incredible experiences, or punching a bully or two in the nose, I'd have to say no, I wouldn't go back to any age.

Okay, maybe to punch Nick in the nose, because he TOTALLY deserved it...
:rofl:

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. None.

[japple]

9. Ditto, here. The older I get, the better I like me! n/t

[OneGrassRoot]

16. +2. No going back for me...nothing attracting me in the past. :) n/t

[BlueIris]

8. 12. 7th grade. 1991. That was a major turning point for me, and I'm sorry to post

that I think I turned the wrong way during that grade. I gave in to parental expectations that I would not be good enough for the popular crowd and though my schoolwork remained excellent through the rest of secondary school, my social life really suffered after that. I could have been much happier if I'd stuck with my new friends instead of drifting back to my old ones. Also, Clinton, and the sense of being safe as a young liberal in the United States.

[Kookaburra]

10. I like the age I am now but,

would love to have the thighs and booty I had when I was 18.

Don't think I'd want to go back to that age just to have that body again though.

[I Have A Dream]

11. I don't think that I'd like to go back to any age.

I wouldn't mind having the body that I had when I took Tae Kwon Do in my 20s. It's not that I mind aging -- that was just the age that my body was in the best shape due to the extreme workouts that I did. (I want the body but I don't want to have to do what was required to get it. :o)

I only have a few regrets in my life, and none of them are anything that make me lose sleep. I regret that I ever got into management. It took me almost 10 years before I could extricate myself from it. However, I learned a great deal from what I went through. I regret allowing religion to control my sexuality -- it's a big reason that I got married very early. I learned from that to never again allow religion to rule my life. I regret staying in my first two relationships years after I knew that they were over; I have never learned how to end a relationship. Luckily, I don't think that I'll need that skill in my current relationship; my second husband is my beloved. I'm happy with him in a way that I've never been with anyone else. He's 'home' to me. :)

I think that this time in my life is the best that I've had up to this point. I have wonderful friends (including all of you!), I have a wonderful manager & coworkers, I have a good job, I'm in a loving relationship, I'm at peace with almost everyone in my life, and I am satisfied that I am doing the best that I can in the world, considering that I'm an imperfect human.

This was a good question, Callie. I enjoyed considering it. :hug:

[Lindsey]

12. 17. At 17 I made a decision (a child making an adult decision)

that completely threw me on a path I never anticipated. Looking back, I regret the decision and if I had to do it over again, I have to admit I'd do it differently.

[rumpel]

13. I probably would not want to go back to any age, either but

trying to think when I was happiest, is probably around the ages of 4 through 10 or so. I would be roaming around the woods with our dog, climbing trees and so on. I don't mind doing that again - with total disregard of what else is going on around the world. :)

Later on perhaps around 18, the 70's was a very good time, even though emotionally turbulent. Surfing was a good thing, yoga was a good thing and work was great. (certainly not without problems)

The 80's, my early 20's the world was there for me, and stupid me, I latched onto the wrong thing: my ex :banghead:

But, it was meant to be, with all it's faults and mistakes, sorrow and resulting agony, dragging on to this day.

I am happy with how far I have come and who I am, at least, most of the time - besides, at 52, I am supposed to have now experienced all possible combinations according to the Mayan calendar and finally earned my first grade diploma -:rofl:

[Delphinus]

14. I wouldn't go back for anything!

Nope, not at all. I'm too looking forward to being spirit!

[teenagebambam]

15. I might just start over from scratch

but I'd take a camera and a diary with me!

[OneGrassRoot]

17. ...

:spray:

:applause:

Good answer! :hug:

[davsand]

18. I have earned my gray hairs. I'm good with it.

I dunno, I'd like to maybe know a little sooner about some of the stuff I know now about health and wellness, but as for how I lived my life--I'm comfortable with where I am now and who I am.

I figure I am a composite. All the decisions I've made and all the things I've done helps make up who I am and how I view the world. I'm good with my husband and my child, and if my work is not something I am happy with, it is up to me to make the changes in myself to go do something different.

:shrug:


Laura

[JanusAscending]

21. I would go back to 1963 !!

and I wouldn't change a thing. I would be 24 years old, just starting life over with my NEW husband !! (much better than the first) I would just love to live the 38 years with him over again!! I'd be such a happy camper to be able to raise our baby girl all over again with him!!:loveya:

[RagAss]

22. 8 1/2

[liberalmuse]

23. 22.

I really thought I was over the hill at that age. Of course I would only go back knowing what I know now. It took to long to get to this point. I'd also invest heavily in Windows and Apple stock, LOL. I know, that was wrong.

[Silver Gaia]

25. No going back for this gal, either!

IF I did pick an age, it would still be within the past 5-10 years, because those have been the best of my life. I prefer to look forward to more and better. There's nothing in the past I would want to do differently. It is what is is.