Be grateful for that curly hair because it won't last forever

Going through that awkward adolescent phase in the 70s and 80s was not always easy, especially with a head full of wavy curls.
In fact, it was terrible.
See, back then the coolest guys parted their hair down the middle and feathered it back, sort of like the wings of a Golden Eagle. But me? I had curly hair that just sat there on top of my teenage head, frustrating me so much that I cried myself to sleep most nights.

Check out that hair ... and that avocado-colored telephone.

Okay, that last part was a slight exaggeration. I didn't cry myself to sleep, but believe me, I hated my hair.

Look at me now! Gosh, I'd love to have it all back ... heck, I'd love to have half of it back.
It's funny, isn't it? We're never happy, especially when we're young. Then, as we magically morph into middle age, we sigh and think back to those good old days.
As a grown up, I've got a bald head and way more responsibility than I ever could have imagined: a wife, children, a job, a house, a couple of cars, church, Christmas shopping ... all of it. Sometimes I reflect back on those painful, awkward days as a teenager and I think, "Man, you never had it so good."

No problem parting my hair now. It parts right down the middle.

For most of us, it's true. Those days were wonderful and, for the most part, care-free. Oh sure, we went through teenage drama, but we were blissfully ignorant about what was to come.
What's that line from the Bob Seger song? "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then."
How true.
But now I've got just one more question: What can we do about it?
As a parent -- as a father -- I think the best thing we can do is to teach our children to be grateful for what they have, even when they're going through that teenage drama ... ESPECIALLY when they're going through that teenage drama.
In the long run it'll turn them into better adults.
If you think about it, all gratitude really is, is the reflection of a deeper, wider perspective.
If only I'd known that back when I was 15 and I couldn't get my curly hair to part down the middle.