YOUTH

Youth is not a stage of life

it is a mental stage;

it is impetus, drive of the will,

an active, alert and vivid imagination

confidence in your emotions.

It is bravery winning over cowardice,

love of adventure triumphing over lethargy.

Nobody gets old because s/he lived a certain amount of years,

only when one's ideals have faded in the distance.

With the years skin gets wrinkly

but the surrender of inspiration wrinkles the soul.

Worries, doubts, loss of confidence, fears and hopelessness,

those are the bricks which pull your head towards the ground

and bend an honest and upright spirit into the dust.

Seventy or seventeen, in the hearts of every human being lives a yearning for the wondrous,

sublime awe at the sight of eternal stars, thoughts and things,

the fearless venture,

the insatiable childlike suspense that the next day brings,

the exuberant joy and zest for life.

You are as young as your dreams,

as old as your doubts,

as young as your confidence,

as old as your fears,

as young as your hopes,

as old as your despair.

As long as the message about beauty, joy, daring, greatness

about the earth,

about the people,

about the infinite

reach your heart, you are still young.

Only when the wings hang downward, and your heart is covered by the snow of pessimism and the ice of cynicism,

only then have you become truly old.

[Tiara's note]
The poetry above was written by Albert Schweitzer in German. Later it's translated into English by Walter Eichner in 2012. What a wonderful poetry... Love it so much..

I need to give my thank to MasEdo who posted this poetry on his fb stat a few days ago. Danke schoen..