When We Were Young

"Those long, warm, sunny days you think will never end. Lots of time to waste. Why make plans? You've got today. Tomorrow can wait. Then somehow without noticing, the seasons move on and suddenly you're in the shadows, looking back. Dark days are ahead and the summer's gone."

He was just an old man sitting on a bench on the seafront at Whitley Bay. Nothing out of the ordinary. He had a story to tell, but doesn't everybody? His story wasn't anything out of the ordinary either. He'd married, raised a family and was now widowed. He spent most of his time alone and welcomed the chance to talk. He lived close by and came here most days. It had been their favourite spot. On special anniversaries, he'd tie a wreath of flowers to the bench with a ribbon. You often see that don't you? And you wonder who left them and why. Well, this is why. He explained, "When you're old, you don't have enough time left to build memories so I come here and reflect on the ones we built when we were young." (Steve Nielson)

Watching in the shadows

Winter's drawing fast

Don't think I can see it through

Don't think I can last

Remembering the summer

Walking in the sun

Never felt the cold

When we were young

Didn't need a reason

Didn't need a rhyme

Never short of laughter

Never short of time

Didn't plan tomorrow

Till the day was done

Never short of life

When we were young

Didn't stop to wonder

Were we right or were we wrong

We had all we needed

To build our dreams upon

Never thought we'd look back

And summer would be gone

Didn't have a care

When we were young

Watching in the shadows

Winter's almost here

Nothing left to hope for

Everything to fear

Want to turn around now

Scared of going on

Never felt afraid

When we were young

"Never short of life when we were young"

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