I'm heading into the latter part of 35, so I just barely made the "younger" cut.
I started shooting traditional bows around 1996. Before that I was really big into 3D and got caught up on the quest for speed. I use to shoot an extra length riser Golden Eagle compound that was perfect for shooting with fingers. Eventually that bow just didn't seem fast enough eventhough I shot really well with it. That started my spiral into the hell of the quest for speed - got a faster bow; couldn't shoot it with fingers; got a release; got a faster bow; shot worse; and just didn't have fun at 3D's anymore.
One 3D shoot, I saw a couple guys shooting with recurves and longbows and they looked like they were having a blast eventhough they weren't getting 10's on every target (and missing a few). That's when I decided. Borrowed an old Shakespere recurve from a friend of my father. Upgraded to a Great Plains recurve as a college graduation present. Started making my own longbows a couple years ago. And most importantly - put the fun back into it!
As I get older, the simpler (not necessarily easier)I want things. I shot enough deer out of tree stands with my compounds. Now I really only want deer off the ground with my homemade longbow - buck or doe doesn't matter.