Are we all just stuck in the past

I often wonder, are we stuck in the past? Why do I spend so much time reminiscing. I'll just say this-- growing up is often not what you anticipate it to be.

It is hard to see potential negatives when looking forwards, and hard to see actual when looking back. However, we never seem to struggle to see those negatives in the moment. At times it can feel like anything is better than the now. But, is it?

When I was 14 I would have killed to be where I am now, and now I would give anything to hit reverse. So who is right? Can we ever win? Maybe, just maybe, we should just live in the moment.

I think part of the attraction of youth is the mystique. Prior to something actually happening, anything is possible. We can imagine our wildest dreams and we can believe that they may actually happen. But, once that moment has come and gone, we grow the truth. I think that is how with age we become cold and hardened. We've gotten our hopes up to face the truth too many times.

Parts of my life, as I said, I would have been so excited for 5 or even 10 years ago. But parts of it, I never would have guessed. But that's the irony of it all-- you don't get to choose which parts to keep and return. There's no reverse button. Perhaps when we find joy in looking back, it's not because we were actually any happier in that moment.

Perhaps it's just because we can imagine a life without the burdens we currently carry. The burdens that, at the time, we didn't even realize we weren't carrying. I'm sure someday I will look back on this moment and miss it, based off of something that hasn't even happened yet. Unfortunately, I won't realize what until it's too late.

Are we reminiscing on better times, or simpler times?