Where Did It All Go Wrong?

[Atheist]

Do you remember being a little girl or boy, full of energy, joy and zest? Are you like that now? What happened to change you? (if you did change).

[woofgang]

I'd have more energy and zest if I didn't have a bad back and two duff knees. The joy went when my husband died.

[Bobbisox1]

Not exactly having the energy as I had 65 yrs ago , that's could never happen, but yes I do enjoy life, I enjoy it very much

[burlyshirley]

What happened to change me ? Getting old of course !

[gness]

Can't say my childhood made me full of joy and zest, Atheist. I may not have the energy I did then though...but I certainly have much more joy and zest. You?

[Milo2]

Like, Bobbi, I don’t have the same energy that I had in my youth but I still enjoy life and have found new interests, particularly since I retired.

[ToraToraTora]

chill out brother:

[emmie]

same as woof, bad knees and sundry problem, but my childhood wasn't one of all fun and laughter. If there had just been mum, my brothers and me then it would have been a whole different ball game, dad was a nasty tyranical bully who made our lives hell

[emmie]

life is just different now, having lost Mr Em quite a while ago, its still hurts.

[Atheist]

Interesting replies. Like me, the body becomes less lithe and the soul becomes more hurt by experience.

[Old_Geezer]

Was never that full of energy, joy, nor zest.
More cantankerous and disillusioned now.
Life.

[burlyshirley]

Mind you, I still have moments of joy obviously, not so much the zest! You lose folk along the way as you get older, so that's bound to have an affect on us all. Still glad to be here though!

[royfromaus]

Yes.
Yes.

[Atheist]

Gness. I don't think I have much joy and zest, but I do not feel bitter and twisted and I am writing a novel and I do not hate people on principle. I have stopped painting so that I can write. I do my best to be decent to my wife (I do love her, by the way). I love my granddaughters even though I can't let them pile on top of me any more and even when they will be able to do that they'll be too old to want to! My childhood was a bit difficult, but I had a mother who loved me and no abusive relatives.
I see a huge void between innocent skinny smoothskinned kids and overweight wrinkled gammons who hate everybody who doesn't fit in with their..... I can't go on.

[Patsy33]

I fluctuate...

[Atheist]

Roy; nice to know that you haven't changed. You remember being an innocent kid and you are still like that. Well done.

[andy-hughes]

I had no energy joy and zest as a child. I had a horrible childhood, and I couldn't wait to be an adult.

Since becoming one, I have found masses of energy joy and zest, and still have them now.

[jno]

bodies almost invariably get less flexible, which is a big drain on zest; minds sometimes do. I wouldn't be unhappy if my 20-year-old body returned overnight, but not my 10-year-old one.

[royfromaus]

I know you are jealous of me but that doesn't warrant the thinly disguised insult.

Still, I not surprised by it...if that's how you get what little joy you have in life feel free, I have very broad shoulders.

[gness]

You never come across as bitter or twisted, Atheist. A breath of fresh air in many of your posts.
I haven't seen my grandchildren for over a year now. I'm small so if they've grown too much they'll not have to jump on me!
Took me along time to realise I wasn't loved by my parents and why.

May I ask what the novel is based on?

[Canary42]

/// Do you remember being a little girl or boy, full of energy, joy and zest? ///

Quite frankly, no i don't. Growing up in wartime then post-war austerity after Dad killed in the conflict, I seem to recall a childhood full of anxiety and timidity.

Yes, I have changed, with the benefit of adult understanding.