Graying Youth

There comes a time that all of us will have that moment that you are, in fact, getting older. The notion never really leaves you but then something happens and you know without a shadow of a doubt that you are not as young as you once were. My moment of realization came about two hours ago when OJ and I were watching TV. The show was Criminal Minds and its very interesting. However, I didn’t realize nor did he that the graying man in glasses courting the Technical Analyst was, in fact, Xander from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. OJ (aka Otey) paused the screen and told me to look. I put the book down I was reading and he asked if I knew who that was. At first, I saw the similarities and that goofy smile of Xander. I told him I think I know who it is but surely I was wrong. Xander was younger, skinny, and had the puppy dog eyes. The puppy dog eyes are still there in a way.

I didn’t watch Buffy religiously when I was a teenager but I started watching it a lot around 2005 and fell in love with it. Even seven years ago wasn’t that long ago in my mind but it’s still a good time frame to remember things of the not so distant past. I had just moved here to Franklin that year. I was younger and the years of working overnights had not yet taken its toll on me. In fact, I was going through some photos that OJ and Jennie had just gotten back from our younger days. I was surprised to see that we had so much energy to climb the hills of Western Kentucky University after work. I know 30 is still not that old to some people but it is the oldest I ever been.

I reminisce about the times we had back then. It was fun in those days when we had water gun fights, very little to worry about, and had that feeling of immortal energy. I suppose I am getting older but that doesn’t mean I have to grow up entirely. I mean, after all, what’s the point of being grown up if you can’t be childish once in awhile? (Yes, it is a quote from Classic Doctor Who but very relevant)

In any case, I guess the point (if there is one to this) is that make sure you cherish the times when you are young because they happen to go by very quick. Then, you’re stuck on an idle Friday afternoon watching TV with your best friend and see a glimpse of your youth with graying hair accompanied with a few life line wrinkles and a sudden moment of “What the heck?”.