Many us of who are starting to age wish we could go back to our younger days. Many feel that they would enjoy their youth even more.

From here it looks as if younger people enjoy life much more than older people. I wonder if it’s true that young people enjoy life more than older people. For a long time I was on the fence about it. I could see that being older gave me more of a control over my life. Then I see youth that seem brighter than when I was growing up. They have more material things in their lives. From the outside looking in, the kids today seem to be happier.

I look at life in three stages – childhood, adulthood and old age. Each of the three has its own unique outlooks, problems and feelings.

First of all, young people enjoy a carefree life. The enjoyment for young people is that they do not need to worry about making money or how to support a family. Young people do have their own set of problems, such as peer pressure. The youth are faced with intense academic competition, and in a lot of cases, they face overwhelming problems at home.

A lot of older people can definitely live a life that is as enjoyable as childhood.

Some people tend to have a much more difficult life after entering adulthood. Some that enter adulthood cannot let their childhoods go. They spend a lot of time trying to justify the shortcomings of their parents. In adulthood, others are not prepared for the challenges of life itself. Many other adults have opened their own businesses and become affluent and reputable. They are enjoying their lives and success.

People in old age have their own happiness. Even with health problems, many older people look at the accomplishment of having lived to the age they are.

Lastly, I believe those who wish to return to childhood have not found their lives really happy or successful. A child’s carefree life is desirable for adults, but it is also impossible for them. Having a lot of interests is good. Staying active and looking forward to the next day is a positive thing. It is unwise to believe that older people cannot have the same amount of enjoyment as young people do.

I think one of the biggest lessons I have learned is that people at different ages have different things to enjoy and celebrate as well as different problems. No matter how old you are, you can greatly enjoy the life that you have.