I recently found myself saying, “Back in the day…” during a conversation and immediately wondered where that came from.
Is there a certain age when we start saying it? Did I just hear myself reach it?
Often, what follows is, “I used to…”
Play basketball three nights a week. Ride a bike everywhere. Spend entire weekends outside and feel great.
Sometimes we’re remembering friends or something we enjoyed doing. Other times, it’s our body that starts the conversation.
We throw a ball, get up from the floor, or head out on a familiar trail. It takes more effort than we remember, and out comes, “I used to…”
Some things we may no longer be able to do, or do as well as we once did. We can miss that. There can be a lot wrapped up in those few words.
And sometimes, the conversation takes an interesting turn.
A story about playing sports becomes one about a teammate who always made us laugh. Remembering a long bike ride brings back the feeling of heading somewhere with no particular plan.
We might even smile remembering how sore we were afterward. It probably wasn’t quite as funny that morning.
As the story unfolds, we hear more about what made those days memorable. The competition. Being outdoors. Discovering somewhere new. The satisfaction of doing something we weren’t sure we could do.
And somewhere in someone else’s story, we might recognize ourselves.
“I used to love that, too.”
It makes me curious about what “that” was.
Maybe we loved how far we could ride. Maybe we also loved where the ride took us and what we noticed along the way.
A shorter ride might still offer some of that. Or an afternoon exploring somewhere new might bring back a little of that sense of adventure.
We may still miss the long ride. And remembering it may give us an idea for another kind of afternoon.
Our body reminded us of what’s changed. The memory reminded us of what we enjoy.
“I used to love that.”
I wonder what might give me some of that feeling today.
About Our Body’s Story: We’re excited to introduce The Body’s Story, a weekly series from Cornerstone Clubs. Through reflective, story-driven posts, we explore how your body responds to movement, rest, stress, and daily habits—and what you can learn when you pause long enough to listen.
