One of the big takeaways I learned in therapy, and candidly still struggle with remembering to this day, is that you have to have some grace with prior versions of yourself.
You don’t have to be proud or grateful or think you had all the right ideas when it comes to every little thing you’ve done, but you do have to understand the person you were, with the context you had.
Show a little kindness. Maybe even some compassion.
If it were another 20-year-old, I’d have advice. For some reason, I don’t usually feel the same towards 20- (or 15-, or 30-year old me). So I’ll take a reminder.
Too Short had a quote in his part 2 appearance on the History of the Bay podcast that I had to stop and write down on a walk.
Do I get a lot of life advice from Too Short? Or, did I used to? Well, maybe I used to, ahem, and maybe not for the exactly right reasons, but - I still have the highest level of appreciation for him AND his art (yes, it’s art).
Thinking about him turning 60, too, is probably as surreal for me as a fan as it is for him. And his persona. But this was some Todd Anthony Shaw wisdom and it deserved to be recorded and reflected on.
“…and you learn, man. I think that there’s a badge of honor to surviving young and dumb. I think if you try to be young and f****** genius, you’re missing out on the fun thing in life. And then if you’re old and stupid, you didn’t do it right. So, you got to live and learn and become wise. As you start to lose your young youthful look, then you start getting smarter and wiser and it becomes another journey in life. The s*** gets better, actually.”
Credit to host Dregs One for following that quote with, “I think as you once said, ‘I’m an old dog and old dogs get wiser’” too. Chef’s kiss.
Here’s to having been young and dumb, and now, being older and wiser for it.
It’s ok to live a little. It’s ok to have lived a little.
The frustrations and confusions with what our 20-year-old self was thinking, that stress is just the cost of learning. Pay the tuition. I know I have, and I’m so much happier for it.
Resolve the tension and make it a story (even if it’s a freaky tale… sorry not sorry, you know I had to).
