“Oh, to be [fill in with any age you wish to be].” What age did you say? What, in your opinion, is the perfect age to be? Personally, I can’t answer this question simply. My response in typical me fashion tends to be a bit complicated. Sure, I can tell you what I deem is the perfect age but I have to break it down.

First, is it safe to assume you picked a younger age or are you anticipating some event that happens at an older age? Honestly, getting some of those senior discounts sounds like a good deal at times. If that was all that accompanied a future age count me in. Otherwise, I’ll wait. For the most part though, I would safely venture a guess that most of us picked a previous age. I did. Or rather, I picked previous ages.

Because for me, there is not a whole and complete perfect package. There are ages I would rather be for different things. Let me break it down.

Energy

The perfect age for the energy level I would like to have right now is probably between 8 and 10 years old. That was the age I could run up the stairs. Jump down the stairs. Refused to take naps because I couldn’t. If I remember correctly, I could spend all day playing outside in the sun. I definitely didn’t need to stop and take breaks while walking. I could go, go, go. My perfect age energy wise would be pre-teen.

Body

I want my early 20 something body. Not because I was shapely or anything like that because I never was. I just miss having a body that didn’t hurt because I sneezed wrong. Or one that didn’t require a heating pad every night because I sat at my desk all day. It would be great to not need bifocals to see or miss chunks of conversation because I can’t hear. Literally, when I turned 30 my body started doing some shady things to me. Things I don’t like to talk about. My perfect age body wise would be my 20’s body.

Knowledge

This is a tricky one because knowledge is an on-going process. But for the ability to retain and learn I would have to say I’d like to go back to my 30’s. This seemed to be the decade right before my brain faculties noticeably shut down on learning new things. Unlike previous decades of learning, I realized I didn’t know as much as I thought so I was more open to learning new ways. My perfect age learning wise would be in my 30’s.

Acceptance

My younger ages I spent a fair amount of time trying to fit in. I attempted to force my way into belonging in places that I probably should have passed on. In my 40’s, I learned to accept who I am. This is me, flawed but still beautiful. If people can’t accept me as me, too bad for them but I am no longer interested in stuffing myself in a box built by another’s opinion. My perfect age for accepting me would be in my 40’s.

Wisdom

This hasn’t happened yet so I’m hoping this will come within the next decade that I’m about to embark in. I can’t make promises only assumptions but I’m going to say my perfect age for wisdom will be in my 50’s.

No, I don’t believe there is one perfect age that I would like to revisit or jump to. But if I can take a composite of all these things I think maybe I could be my best self.

Since that is not possible, I will take the day as it comes and remember all those lessons I have learned that make me who I am. The perfect age may not exist but I can still have perfect moments when almost all those things come close to coming together. I will take that.