The yoke of youth

It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and keep silent, Because God has laid it on him; Let him put his mouth in the dust— There may yet be hope.  – Lamentations 3.27-29

Willie Nelson has a song called ‘I Wish I Was Eighteen Again.’ Part of it goes like this:

Time turns the pages and life goes so fast
The years turn the black hair all grey
I talk to some young folks but they don't understand
The words this old man got to say
Oh I wish I was eighteen again...
Oh I wish I was eighteen again

I like the sound of the song. I kind of like Willis Nelson’s music. I am not yet old, I guess. Like the old man I will never turn the heads of young ladies again (of course I never did) and don’t feel like all I do is stand and pretend. But I don’t wish I was eighteen again.

First of all I was a real nerd at eighteen. I did all kinds of stupid stuff. I made some very unwise decisions. Those years of youth are tough. I regret a lot of what I did in those years. I am happy enough to leave those years behind and move on.

But those years do truly mould us and make us. All those tough days of mistakes and embarrassment and messing are part of who we are today. It is good to go through all the trials of youth – but I wouldn’t want to do it again.