The danger of youth (or our time is always running out)

I have started a number of things later on in life than usual. Learning languages and instruments are examples of these. This is counterbalanced with a number of things I started at a very young age such as science and history. So in many ways I could write a testimonial to the adage ‘never too early, never too late’. But despite this, I’m actually writing the complete opposite. I’ll do my best to avoid the clichéd ‘life is short’ as much as I can but it shall be hard no doubt.

So what leads me to say this? Well, our youth driven society and the music performers I hang out with. A combination of the two has led me to this conclusion. That and the strange age I’m at where I’m neither particularly old nor the youngest of the young (OK, I suppose I am a bit more on the young side but still) and so you have the Indian brigade telling you to knuckle down and find a bride (cos you’re reaching that age) and the Anglo brigade to take it easy and take as long as you need to find someone you really connect with, and you have time to do that, you know, cos you’re young (apparently).

And so what do you take from that? You should go out and enjoy things in life, cos you’re young and still able-bodied to do so. If you're good at music and still youthful, squeeze as much as you can out of it before you're seen as being too old, which happens too often in this world.

But youth is often used as a reason not to do something. A popular saying amongst people my age and younger is ‘we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it’ for any number of situations i.e. not wanting to take responsibility for something and just enjoying it in an (almost) mindless fashion. And so many indulge (and indeed overindulge because hedonism is the only way, which I will discuss later on) and not think of any consequences. At all. It’s not as though you have to have every aspect of your life planned out because that would be almost as detrimental but there must be some middle ground. A moment thought about the consequences of doing something is a moment that can lead to maintained enjoyment of something. Just the right amount of indulgence of any number of things ensures your health will remain at a good enough level for you to enjoy it for many years to come. A tad preachy but remember that the man who doesn’t take time for his health in his youth will most definitely have to take time for his illness in old age.

But hedonism is, if anything, a digression from what I really wanted to say. Too many things are put off by all of us because we’re worried about the time not being quite right. And thoughts like that are poisonous to all of us getting the most out of ourselves, enjoying life to the fullest and making a difference around us (something which can ALL do, really) because it’s a shackle that stops us from flying high and free. Just do what you in your heart of hearts you know will make things better and give you a more wholesome existence. The time will never be better than right now.

I have a friend who has no qualms in getting drunk on a night out because life doesn’t really matter and so he’ll enjoy that but ends up depressed because life doesn’t really matter and he doesn’t feel like anyone will remember him when he’s gone. What a double edged sword he does hold. That is the kind of overthinking that can lead us to squander our time in thinking if we really are good enough for something or not rather than actually doing something, which is the truest indicator of all.

This entry may seem rambly, but below lies the take – home point:

‘Learn like you’re going to live forever. Live like you’re going to die tomorrow’.

Prudence and impulse are unlikely bedfellows

Regards

The Vedic Underdog