A message in time

We longed to grow older, to earn respect, Yet we forgot to savor the fleeting present. We raced through days, eager to regret, Trading boundless wonder for time's lament. We sprinted when the world whispered to walk, Soared too soon, before learning to glide. Looking back, the echoes softly talk, Of days unburdened, with no storm to bide. Childhood was a sea, endless and wide, No maps, no anchors, just wind as our guide. Our laughter was the sun, our dreams the tide, But now the horizon feels harder to find. Today, the weight of tomorrow looms, Shadows stretch long in life's crowded rooms. The sails we once trusted now tremble with doubt, What lies ahead? Can we figure it out? If only we could send a note through time, What truths would we fold in that paper divine? "Run free, untamed; let no one decide, The course of your soul, your spirit's stride." Or would we whisper, "Blend in, play it safe, Life's a puzzle, but the edges chafe. Follow the crowd, for the world is unkind, And solitude can weigh on a wandering mind." Oh, how we sit here, wrapped in regret, Yearning for moments not squandered yet. The past is a river we can never reclaim, Yet its song lingers, calling our name.