Member-only story
To My Young Friends
Right, like you can hear this. I couldn’t.
I have the immense good fortune to be part of a curious fellowship of people of all ages, nationalities, socio-economic levels, races, and cultures. It’s not the kind of club that anyone wants to join but here we are and because of my long-standing membership in this outfit I count among my close friends people who are much younger than myself. Yes, I run around with 20-year-olds as well as 80-year-olds and everything in between.
Over and over I find myself wanting to clue these younger friends in to some important stuff they’re either unaware of or are ignoring (can’t blame them, I would if I could). So I’ll write some of these things and let the fates take it from there. And then I’ll make sure I’m paying closer attention to the 80-year-olds. Turns out they know what they’re talking about.
If anyone forwarded this memo to me when I was 19, I expect I ignored it. I’m forwarding it to you and fully expect that you’ll do the same thing. Who cares about this tedious crap anyway? But consider tucking these bits of information away for future use. You may find them helpful someday.
Ready?
Everything and everyone in your life right now is going to go away. And I’m really talking everything. Those strong legs that catapult you up stairs without a thought and the lungs that easily pull in all the air you need? Temporary. Sleeping the night through after having another satisfying orgasm? Yeah, no. Not a given. That bestie who’s got your back no matter what? Hard to believe but they, too, are going to fade away. Or it could be you that does the fading. Either way, be prepared.
Or not.
Actually, no one is ever prepared for any of this. Who am I kidding? Even so, imagine that what you’re reading here is a mitzvah from your future, wiser self.
I know it’s almost impossible to picture yourself as having survived forty or fifty years of this madness, but chances are pretty good that you will. And when you have, take a moment to scoop up that younger, sillier, looser version of yourself and give that goofball a hug. The goofball needs it.
So much of the anguish I’ve suffered in my life was completely unnecessary and I didn’t…
