Prima-facie and “The Excesses of Our Youth”

We often make decisions in our youth without considering the long-term consequences. We live in the present moment and don’t think about how our actions today can affect our future. But as we grow older, we start to realize that the excesses of our youth are drafts upon our old age, payable with interest, about thirty years after date.

Prima-facie is a Latin term that means “at first sight” or “on the face of it.” It’s a term that’s often used in legal contexts to describe evidence that, on its face, appears to be true. But just because something appears to be true at first glance doesn’t mean it actually is. We need to take a closer look and consider all the evidence before making a judgment.

This applies to the excesses of our youth as well. We may think that our actions are harmless or even beneficial in the moment, but they can have negative consequences later on. For example, smoking cigarettes may make us feel cool and rebellious in our youth, but it can lead to serious health problems down the line. Similarly, racking up credit card debt may give us the freedom to spend now, but it can lead to financial troubles in the future.

The good news is that it’s never too late to make a change. Even if we’ve made mistakes in the past, we can take steps to improve our lives going forward. We can quit smoking, start exercising, and make a plan to pay off our debts. We can take the time to consider the long-term consequences of our actions before making a decision.

As the saying goes, “The excesses of our youth are drafts upon our old age, payable with interest, about thirty years after date.” We may not see the consequences of our actions immediately, but they will catch up with us eventually. The key is to start making positive changes now, so that we can enjoy a healthy and fulfilling old age.

In the words of motivational speaker Les Brown, “It’s not over until you win.” No matter what mistakes we’ve made in the past, we can still achieve our goals and live a fulfilling life. We just need to take responsibility for our actions and make a commitment to ourselves to do better.

Here are some relevant quotes to inspire you:

• “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

And now, for some limericks and haiku:

There once was a young man named Mike

Who lived his life just how he liked

But his debts caught up

And he spilled his cup

Now he’s struggling to make things right

There was a young woman named Sue

Who smoked and drank until she was blue

But when her health failed

She quickly bailed

And now she’s living life anew

Prima-facie seems clear as day

But take a closer look,

I say The devil’s in the details

And that never fails

So don’t be too quick to make your way

Excesses of youth are a debt

That we all must eventually

net So live life with care

And be aware Of the consequences that we beget

I hope this article and these limericks and haiku have inspired you to take a closer look at your own life and make positive changes for your future. Remember, it’s never too late to start living your best life.