The Good Old Days

"Dreams so they say 
Are for fools and they let 'em slip away ...
Like Columbus in the olden days
We must gather all our courage
Sail our ships out on the open sea
Cast away our fears
And all the years
               will come and go
We may never pass this way again." (Seals and Crofts) 

Recorded by Seals and Crofts, "We May Never Pass this Way Again," was our class song at Nova High School in 1980. I think it was other graduating class's song, too. 

One thing I remember about the song was that at the end, they kept repeating: "These are the good old days." 

When we are young, we spend so much time looking forward to what lies ahead: graduation, marriage, a new job, a promotion, buying a home. 

---

As we get older, we look back and remember. We laugh, we cry, and our hearts are stirred by memories of old friendships, trips, special moments, impromptu adventures. 

In looking back and looking forward, we forget to live in the moment, to enjoy today. Yes, every day has its troubles and today is not perfect. But today is "the good old days" we will remember tomorrow. We will remember the faces, the smiles, the laughter, the blessings. 

"Are you excited to graduate?" a friend asked me in college. 

"Oh, I love every minute of college," I laughed. "I never want it to end." 

Yet when the time came, I was ready. I enjoyed the moments in college and I decided to try from then on to live in the moment, to enjoy life. Now that I am older, I love the moment, but I also love remembering the good old days, the amazing people God has put in my life.

If you are young, don't just look forward; enjoy today. If you are older, don't just look back; enjoy today. 

"Life so they say is but a dream and they let it slip away. Love, like the autumn sun, should be dying, but it's only just begun...These are the good old days." (Seals and Crofts)

Jesus' perfect love is still right here, ready to captivate your heart, ready to flood your soul. He has made even the very difficult days good for me and as I age, I look forward to an eternity with Him of happy moments.

God bless you!
​Meredith Ludwig Curtis

---