What I Miss

Yesterday I read in the paper that age 40 "is the magical benchmark that separates young and wannabe-young." And since I'll be 39 (honestly!) in just a few weeks these words made me pause. It's not that I really mind the physical aspects of aging yet;it's that I miss some of my life as a younger person - a 20-something person. And you know what I miss the most? Laughing. I was just thinking the other day that I don't have any big laughs any more. I can even remember the last few times I had the kind of laughing fit that makes your stomach cramp and eyes water. It was when I worked at a residential summer camp each summer during college. The campers were crazy, the staff was crazy, and we had nothing better to do than find life funny. Don't get me wrong; I still find things humorous, but I just don't find myself falling apart laughing like I once did.

The mostly complete list of what I miss about being 10 years younger than I am now:

1. Laughing
2. Time
3. The Big Unknowns (All the big questions that filled me with angst at the time, but were also exciting and fun to think about like: What career? Who to marry? Where to live? Kids?)
4. Skiing
5. Being creative
6. Summer break - to work in National Parks, at camp, travel, classes in cool places