Is youth really wasted on the young
What would I do if I was younger again
Would I go jumping out of planes
Would I do all the things I didn’t do
Back when I had the chance
Would I have a life free of regrets
Would I catch up with the wisdom
And knowledge I have now
If I could do it all over again
Is there such a thing as unwasted youth
Oh, how could that ever be
Are any of us wise enough back then
When we’ve had less chances for mistakes
And to learn from them
Is it ever enough to only learn
From the mistakes others make
No, we need our own mistakes, too
So we can pick ourselves up again
And grow from the lessons we have learned
It’s like the allure of time travel
As if there’s really something to fix
Still I can’t help myself sometimes
I get wondering if I’ve wasted
Too much time as I’ve let it all go by
And left myself where I am now
Does my pain weigh me down too much
What does it take to realize
Much joyfulness inside
Is there such a thing as unwasted youth
Oh, how could that ever be
Are any of us wise enough back then
When we’ve had less chances for mistakes
And to learn from them
Is it ever enough to only learn
From the mistakes others make
No, we need our own mistakes, too
So we can pick ourselves up again
And grow from the lessons we have learned
As I listen for what words to write
And I question my life choices
I end up being curious
Of what I could have experienced
If I had only cast aside
My fear, uncertainty, and pride
Relationships are all we have in life
How much richer could I have been
That’s where my regrets hurt the most
Oh, what opportunities I’ve had
Those were what I cast aside instead
Which left me with emptiness
And what looks like wasted youth
Is there such a thing as unwasted youth
Oh, how could that ever be
Are any of us wise enough back then
When we’ve had less chances for mistakes
And to learn from them
Is it ever enough to only learn
From the mistakes others make
No, we need our own mistakes, too
So we can pick ourselves up again
And grow from the lessons we have learned
As youth gives way to maturity
I look at what I’ve got left
At least there’s certain mistakes
To never make again
Some learning already happened
I’ve discovered much about myself
And I get to move forward with that
As tempting as it might be
To do my life over again
I keep coming back
To the same conclusion
And it is simply this
I’d rather keep the one I have
I accept my choices
And their consequences
The past helped shape who I am now
Here’s to a life well lived
And to moving on the best I can
Is there such a thing as unwasted youth
Oh, how could that ever be
Are any of us wise enough back then
When we’ve had less chances for mistakes
And to learn from them
Is it ever enough to only learn
From the mistakes others make
No, we need our own mistakes, too
So we can pick ourselves up again
And grow from the lessons we have learned
Conclusion
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Until next time,
James Barnett
