Once upon a time, there lived a boy. He was about four years old, and his mother always made him do his chores before he could go play with his friends and have a grand old time. He would always ask why his baby brother, jake, didn't have to do anything. "Babies aren't able to work, honey. They are too young. You know, you were a baby once, and you didn't have to work then, either." He would then stare at the ground in anger and say "Those were the good days." The boy grew older, and had to then go to school. He had homework every night, and had to juggle his social life, sports, homework, and housework. He hated it. He remembered the days when he was a toddler, and he didn't have school. All he had to do was do the dishes, and then he was on his way playing with his friends and doing whatever he felt so inclined to do. "Those were the good days," he said with a sigh. Then, he went to highschool. Because he wanted a car, he had to start working to pay for the car, the gas, and the insurance. He also had an increasing amount of homework tying him down. On top of playing baseball, it was difficult to keep all his responsibilites in check. To say the least, life was stressful. He did find time to hang with his friends, but not as much as he'd like. He remembered the days in elementary and middle school, when he had barely any homework, didn't have to work, and always had time for friends. "Man," he said. "Those were the good days." The boy grew up, graduated from college, and started working full time, beiong responsible for managing his own business and paying bills by far more massive than the ones he had to take care of in high school. As he stared at the growing pile of bills on his desk, he remembered all the crazy times he had in high school. Though he had to work, he always had time to go do things with friends and have hobbies, like baseball. This would be the first evening of the week he got to go out and do something...and it was his first date in over three months. He had a date every week in high school. "Man," he said, "Those were the good days." Over the next several years, he got married, and started a family. He had five little ones running around, and he and his wife were trying to get the baby twins under control while they screamed relentlessly night after night for some reason or another. The man remembered the days when he was free, and wasn't tyed down by so many kids, so many bills, and so many PROBLEMS! The days he had time to tend more to his business, and go out on dates...like the night he met his wife. "Man," he said, "Those were the good days." Well, years flew by, and his children grew up. As he gazed sadly at the childhood pictures, the pain of thier absence still fresh in his mind, he remembered when they were little tykes, and handfuls at that, running around the house. He smiled. "Those were the good days." Many years went by, and he was an old, old man who could barely walk. He remembered when he was able to walk, and do whatever he wished...the days he was capable of visiting his children. Now, they all had to come visit him. "I remember when I was young and vibrant," he said. "Those were the good days." Sadly, all of the days were good. Must we look back at the old good days, or recognize these good days? If someone asks you when your good days are, hopefully you can say "These are the good days." And be happy!