Why do we miss youth?

Nearly everyone who has moved past a certain age milestone in life misses his/her youth...What is it that we miss??...As I heard some old numbers the other day I realised what I miss most from that time. It is not the vitality or health of that phase(when no amount of sunburn can stop you from going out), it is not the college life or the people(thankfully Iam still in contact with most who mattered) nor is it the ''bindaas''(for the want of a better word) attitude of that time......What is it then??

It is the dreams that I miss the most. It is that phase of life when life has just started and the journey seems to hold endless promises, when dreams have no restrictions, flights of fancy seem to be possible in any direction of our choice, and when even uncertainities of life seem oh! so exciting!! and most importantly a time when hopes and positive outcomes have not been replaced by cynicism and criticsm. Childhood is perhaps even more beautiful but most of us do not clearly remember it but youth is a different ballgame altogether. You cherish it, you live it, and you never forget it.

As one moves on in life, milestones are achieved, success is relished, failures are learnt from and accolades are gathered.Uncertainities no longer seem to hold adventure and ones starts moving towards guarantees of material success..house, income etc.etc. Success becomes tangible but does tangible materialism ever have the taste of dreams?? I know what most would say ''What a foolish way of looking at life? Shouldn't one reach out towards one's goals?'' Of course one should...Even I have, with no regrets and yet ironically, that's precisely why youth never comes back. If you hold on to it you stagnate and if you move on the natural progress trajectory you do what Iam doing... remember it fondly. I guess, that's life or as the french say '' C'est la vie''.