A Quarter of a Century Young

Today I turn 25 years of age. I reached the age where I have begun to feel old. Before you laugh, Let me explain. As a child you are constantly punished for being just that, a child. Your parents are always telling you “I’ll tell you when you are older” or “You arn’t old enough for that”. Then you reach your teens and your parents begin to treat you like an adult. However, the state says that you are not old enough to drive a car, to get a job, to see an “R” movie, to smoke, to drink, to vote, to own property, I think you get the picture. As a result you are in this constant state of wishing to be older, dreaming of what it would be like to be a “real person” with all of your rights fully realized.

Finally you reach the age when people start giving you things for being a responsible adult. At 25 your car insurance goes down. In your 30s people stop calling you “kid” at work and it is socially acceptable to hold office. When you hit 40 people start to seek you out for your “ancient wisdom” and God gives you a head of gray hair. Before you know it they’re handing you your AARP card and discounts on coffee and movie tickets. Then you begin to wonder why you rushed your youth and desire to be young again.

Perhaps I am really not feeling that old, maybe it’s more of an in-between feeling. Not quiet old, but not really young anymore. Either way it is a strange and somewhat uncomfortable feeling. But like most things in my life, I will ride this out and see where it takes me because, like many people know, we are truly not in control of our future.