19 "Took For Granted" Moments And Experiences That Older Adults Didn't Appreciate When They Were Younger

Recently, I asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share the things they didn't realize they'd taken for granted until they were older, and the answers are poignant. Here are some of the insightful stories:

1."Being able to make friends anytime and anywhere. It seems so hard to make new pals now."

2."When I could just sit and watch cartoons with my siblings. It was so carefree. My dad told us to savor the time we had, not having to worry about bills and responsibilities. I was so eager to get a job and landed one at 16. Now, if I could go back, I'd take his advice more and just sit back and savor the time."

—Anonymous

3."My mom passed away in 1995. As I grew older, I missed my chances to tell her how appreciative I was for raising five kids, all while going to school and working at the same time. She did so well keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table. She deserved to have been told 'thank you' for being a good mother."

4."I wish I would've taken better care of my hearing. I've been to so many concerts where I didn't wear earplugs."

—Anonymous, Minnesota

5."The innocence and wonderment of first love. After years of disappointment and heartache, trying to find that magic again has taken a toll. I'm 68 now and a little sad. I always thought I'd find true love again. Maybe not."

6."I miss the birds, butterflies, and fireflies that surrounded us 60 years ago."

—supercan11

7."My husband and I were married in mid-life, each of us having survived previous failed relationships. We were each other's soulmate and best friend and had so many plans for our time together. Six days after our second anniversary, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer), and he passed a year later. It took that neurosurgeon about five minutes to send the entire life I'd envisioned for myself crashing and burning in front of my eyes. So, yes, your life can change in terrible ways in the blink of an eye, and you'll never see it coming."

8."I took being provided three meals a day in college for granted. When I graduated, it took me several months to get used to figuring out what I'm going to eat, paying for it, then cooking it."

—Keyva, 45, Virginia

9."I miss how close our family used to be. It seems like years ago when we all used to see each other and spend time together. Now, several relatives have passed away. Everyone still lives fairly close, but it's rare to see or even hear from my family, even during the holidays. I wish I could go back and relive those moments."

10."My skin. It was so smooth and flawless, not flabby or wrinkled like how it is now."

—Susan, 73, Washington

11."I took having a special pet growing up for granted. I had a cat named Missy from when I was 6 until 25. She was the best. She was an outdoor cat but came in to eat and sleep on a small rug. She'd go outside when we went to bed but was always at the back door the next morning. Nineteen years is a long time to have a pet. She made the days so much better."

12."Time! All of a sudden, you're in your 60s, and you look up and realize how fast the world is changing. You're so focused on raising kids or grandkids, work, and more, then — boom! You have no job or kids, just time on your hands. Where did the time go?"

—Kerry, 62, Canada

13."Being a mother with three children and always worrying about money and bills and not savoring the precious time of having them to kiss and hug and hold. You don't realize it until they're adults and have families of their own. It's beautiful but sad. I would give anything to raise my kids all over again, but much slower, and with more appreciation of every single moment."

14."Perfect eyesight and hearing. Around 40, I became far-sighted. At 55, I needed prescription reading glasses. And around that time, I got tinnitus from all the explosively loud concerts I attended. Very annoying."

—Anonymous

15."Unencumbered freedom. I grew up in a small town — if chores and homework were finished, you could hop on your bike and ride anywhere. We'd park our bikes and play in the woods, see friends, hang out at the penny candy store, and more. There were no worries about anyone stealing your bike, child abduction, or cellphone tracking."

16."I wish I hadn't bought so many materialistic things with my hard-earned cash. I should've invested in a small business of my own. Instead, I worked for toxic bosses and struggled to make ends meet. If I'd been smarter with my money, it would've given me such a higher quality of life during my 20s."

—Jeremy, Kentucky

17."I didn't realize how much I'd miss living near my family. My dad's mom lived in his childhood home until she died at 99, and her kids all lived in the area, so the family events were plentiful, and we enjoyed spending time together. Now, my parents, siblings, and I have all moved and are scattered throughout the country. Because of that, my kids and my siblings' kids won't be as close with each other as we were with our grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It makes me sad that my child won't have the closeness with his extended family like I had with mine."

18."My parents' stories. I heard the same stories over and over for 60 years. When I was younger, I just wanted them to finish their story. Now, I wish I had asked them to tell me more. Whenever something happens, I wish I could share it with them. I miss them so much."

—Anonymous, 73

19.Lastly: "I wish I'd savored the feeling of infinite possibility a little more. When you're 17, you wholeheartedly believe you can change the world. Aging brings a palpable sense of morality; you can feel the fragile weight of being a human being press into you a little more every day. You realize the smallness of 'you' compared to the vastness of time. And yet, in that infinite space, you grow into your humanity and feel how every gesture and expression is beautifully and painfully human. I'm glad I get to age. So many of us are denied this privilege. But I wish I'd taken the time to appreciate the novelty of youth before I discovered I'm just another person after all."

If you're an older adult, what moments or experiences did you wish you'd savored more when you were younger? What did you take for granted? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously share your story using this form.

Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.