LUKE MARSDEN: My dad’s wise words of ‘treasure your youth’ as another year passes

Well technically I will only reach middle age tomorrow, as I turn the not quite the-free-bus-pass age of 35.

I do not think I’m due to have another mid-life crisis anytime soon (I hope) as I’ve probably already had two, especially at the younger age of 20 when I

entered (and exited) the Big Brother house some 14 years ago.

Around 20 years ago on a non-eventful walk my dad and I began to discuss life and he told me a casual throwaway line of “treasure your youth”.

I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time but as I find a grey hair a day, I want to get the quote mounted and put on a plaque in my bathroom.

The last few years has taught us as a nation that we’ve got to “live for the moment” more often and as the Instagram influencers say “live your best

life” and although that may seem like a cringeworthy catchphrase to help them flog more cheap products online, it probably does hold some water.

I know people who shy away from celebrating their birthdays as they get older, but over the last few years I’ve embraced the wrinkles on my forehead

and the countless grey hairs.

In fact I’ve even started to buy those inflatable number balloons so the pictures on ‘”the gram” look better.

Do I feel I’ve got the level of wisdom that my parents have?

No, but I’ve found myself dishing out advice like I’m Yoda and embracing challenges like I’m Mr Motivator.

The film Yes Man starring Jim Carey is about a guy who doesn’t say no and embraces everything with yes as a reply; I’m not about to confirm I’m jumping out of a plane (sorry to those that would love that) or getting a radical haircut, but I can confirm I want to continue to push myself and accept all challenges that come my way, heck why not?

As the influencers say, we’ve got one life, let’s live it!