Youth

Youth. 

Pablo Picasso believed that, "Youth has no age." 

Youth is defined as the "condition or quality of being young." What exactly is the definition of young? Is it an actual chronological age or is it a state of mind? 

The most obvious characteristic of youth is that it is the state of not being old. So technically chronological age must play a significant role in youth. The other prominent aspect of youth is that people have been searching for that elusive "fountain" long before Ponce de Leon decided to vacation in Florida. The anti-aging industry makes a fortune each year as aging Baby Boomers do their best not to be considered a fuddy duddy. 

Another descriptor of youth are the words spirited and vigor. As our energy levels decline, we find ourselves trying to capture the exuberance of our younger days without needing a nap. Sometimes this is a losing battle.

However, there may be an area of youth that we could have a fighting chance at winning. Another characteristic of youth is being inexperienced and being in the early stages of something. If we truly want to hold onto our youth, we must risk being a beginner again. 

Staying young has more to do with a point of view than it does with the number of candles on a cake. In the spirit of Picasso it is possible to recapture our youth by embracing the world with the wide-eyed wonder that once came so naturally to us.