Is there an age or year of your life you would re-live?

The Present Is Where I Want to Be

People often ask what age I’d return to if given the chance. Their faces light up as they describe carefree college days or endless summer afternoons. But I wouldn’t go back. Not to any age. Not even to the good parts.

My childhood held trauma that shaped me in ways I’m still understanding. Those early years left marks that took time and work to heal. Even the happier moments that came later were viewed through a lens of survival rather than joy.

But here’s the thing – I don’t see this stance as sad. Each year forward has been a step toward becoming whole. Every day in the present is lived by a version of me that’s stronger, more aware, and more authentically myself than any past version could be.

Some might call this perspective bitter. I call it growth. There’s power in acknowledging that while we can’t change our past, we can choose our future. And that’s exactly where I want to be – right here, in this moment, moving forward.