I like to think of a time when life was simple but actually, it never was. Not even as a kid, because every age has its own drama and challenges. It’s just a different kind of complicated at each stage of life.
What differs when you are younger is that you have your whole life ahead of you and parents to comfort you when life becomes complicated. As you grow up you no longer have that close help so handy to reassure you that it will all be OK.
We are always pushing through our conflicted jungle and make decisions based on good faith. The outcomes that result are not up to us entirely, to complicate matters more. Nothing is clear-cut simple.
However, as we age, we learn to make life less complicated and start simplifying in order to survive and preserve our wits and calm.
So the question is not “When was life simple?” but “When does it get simple?” I truly believe that it can become simpler at middle age, when we are tired of all the drama and start seeking peace.