What my Good Ol' Days Taught Me

Ah, the unforgettable blend of high school hallways! Imagine the mix of freshly sharpened pencils, paper, and the ever-present scent of cafeteria food lingering in the air. Throw in a splash of perfumes, colognes, and Bath & Body Works body sprays as students dash to their next class, and you've got yourself a sensory overload. Don’t forget the subtle hint of cleaning supplies keeping everything fresh. It’s a nostalgic mashup that brings back memories of the hustle, chatter, and excitement of school days. Those were the days.

And then there's college. Picture the mix of freshly brewed coffee, textbooks scattered everywhere, and the faint scent of takeout food in the dorm. There's the sound of laughter echoing from late-night study sessions and the hum of excitement as friends gather for campus events. Add in the occasional hint of laundry detergent from clothes strung up to dry, and you've got a sensory snapshot of those unforgettable, carefree moments. Think of spontaneous road trips, nights out with friends, and the joy of discovering new places and faces. It's a time of living in the moment, making memories that last a lifetime. Now THOSE were the days.

Last night, as I chaperoned my daughter to the teachers versus students basketball game at her school, it all came rushing back to me. I couldn’t help but look at these kids and think, "Do they know this is going to one day be the good ol’ days?" The energy on the bleachers was contagious, and it got me hardcore reminiscing about how great those days were when I was young and free.

And then it hit me, why can't today be the day? Why do the "good ol' days" have to be behind us? Why not make every season I'm in the best one yet? When I'm gone, do I really want to look back and think, "Wow, those couple of seasons were awesome – those were the good ol' days. Too bad the rest didn't measure up."

I couldn't stop thinking about this, and now I'm going to get a little mathy on you – okay, I got AI to crunch the numbers, but here's the gist:

If you had two really awesome seasons, each lasting 4 years, about 8% of your life would be the “good ol’ days.” So, the other 92% of your life would be, well, the not-so-good ol’ days? Anyone else see an issue with that?

Not every phase of life is all sunshine and butterflies – this is EARTH, after all, and we're only human. Still, while we're here, why not at least TRY to make each phase feel like the good old days? We used to be younger, prettier, and more carefree. But were we really? Or is that just the story we tell ourselves? You can be pretty, and free at any age. You can turn every phase into a good old phase. If you think back to the fun you had in college, it’s probably not the college part you miss, but the fun – the people, the adventures. So why not bring some fun, good company, and adventure into your life right now?

We all have to grow up, sorry Peter Pan, and take care of ourselves, but we can still have fun. You can grow up and get older while making every season awesome, but it's up to you. High school might be remembered as the good ol’ days, but maybe it’s just a chance to catch up with old friends, meet new ones, or pick up that instrument you played back in 10th grade. What did you have back then that made it so great that you can't create now? Probably nothing. You can make new good times. It doesn’t have to look exactly the same to be great (and honestly, would we really want it to look exactly the same?)

God didn't put you here just to relive old memories and wish you were different. You're here to grow and keep changing. We all have a purpose. Now, I'm not against nostalgia, but let's think about why our memories mean so much to us. God wants you to be YOU right now, not just a shadow of your younger self. You have purpose in this moment, in this season of your life. Embrace it, because one day you'll look back and want to remember it as one of the many awesome times you had.

So, let’s make every day count, no matter what stage of life we’re in. Here’s to creating a lifetime collection of good ol’ days! Cheers to living in the moment and making every day the best it can be. 🥂🎉