What does it mean to be a kid at heart?

I am not young.

In fact, there is now more time in my life for me to look back on, than to look forward to.

This is not sad, or frightening to me. It’s just a reality.

But I’m ploughing on through my days with as much verve, energy , positivity, excitement, bravura as I did when I was 15. Then, the world was my oyster, I was invincible, I could achieve anything if I tried hard enough. My grandfather, my mentor and huge influence on my young life, impressed upon me that there was ” no such word as can’t”. Though clearly there was, I’ve always lived by his maxim. And run my life accordingly.

When I think about my own aging, I have to say that it’s all in the head. How I feel about myself, the people with whom I relate, the world at large is governed by my own mental strength.

I refuse to be manipulated by any force I consider unjust or wrong, I try to live by the moral codes of respect and love taught to me by my family, and I have complete confidence in myself. To paraphrase John Candy, I Like Me.

And I also happen to like young people.

I am very aware of the tendency among some older people,the trap of looking down upon Youth, of thinking their generation is infinitely inferior, and almost inexplicable in their values, attitudes and mores.

I’m not That Old Person. Because in my mind I’m still that 15 year old. Though the physical body I inhabit is definitely showing and shouting at me the signs of old age, my outlook is definitely young. I love a party, I love a prank, I love a laugh , I love a dance , and I love to know just about everything . Or at least be interested enough to seek it out.

I’ve been fortunate enough to get to my age without too many bumps along the way.

Yes, that’s the secret. Aim at being a kid at heart, or at least remember what it was like, always.