I never had to worry…

That has by no means ever been true, but human nature inclines me to believe that the best time of my life was long ago. A simpler time… but was it really? Perhaps it seems a “simpler” time, because I know what happens next. I can look back on life and say, “don’t become friends with Amber, she will use you because you’re too kind.” Perhaps I can deliberate, “turn down that waitressing job at Schoop’s, the pay will be terrible, you’ll work your ass off, and those old vultures will still pat you down, accusing you of stealing their tips.” I could even brood over elementary school. I might articulate to my twelve year old self, “Don’t leave that nasty note on Mrs. Jankowicz’s desk, it’s not worth the hell it will put you through.” I can picture those scenarios in my head and dream to myself, “wouldn’t life be great if…” but it’s deceiving. I made all of those choices, using my own free will. Now that I know the outcome, of course it is easy to think of a simpler way to handle things, a way that would make life easy. That is, after all, why the present seems so difficult!
We never know what trials the present may bring, and it’s scary. The past is safe, we’ve accepted it, and when things seem bad, it’s a warm place to snuggle up and romanticize about. This occasional daydreaming is natural, but it is important to remember the fact: the past is gone.
It’s gone. I left it in the dusts of my memories for a reason. I stopped hanging out with Amber; I found out on my own that she was a jerk, and that I was too trusting. I quit that god forsaken job at Schoop’s; I learned that some people are hateful, always expecting the worse out of every person they meet. I will never write a passive aggressive, anonymous letter again, they always find out who wrote it anyway, and they will never even stop to take in the criticism. No one ever takes criticism.
So for all the nostalgic dreamers out there, I have quite optimistic news; if the past seems like a simpler, more pleasant time, you’ve learned something from your experiences! Today, through all the pain and trials that are cast your way, stay strong, dreamer. Forever be the person you desire to be. It might not always make things easy, it might not always even be right, but through your imperfections, you learn.
The knowledge we gain through life’s endless array of occurrences is called experience, and at the end of the day, it makes life all the richer for the nostalgic dreamers.