Tonight I caught up with an old friend.
I think the strangest phenomenon for me is realizing how fast time has been flying in my life. I have a lot of friends from the city I lived before NYC, and I stay in touch with a good number of them. It's often when I'm talking with them, when I think of all the moments leading up to our current friendship at present, when I start getting a funny feeling: I'm going to be 30 very soon.
And with that is the realization that every one else's life is progressing toward adult-hood. It's natural; people getting married, buying houses, having a kid. Having another kid.
These are the same people I partied my ass off with almost 7 years ago. Back then, life was in no certain terms. We didn't have stable jobs or "career paths," for that matter. We were transient, moving from relationship to relationship, from city to city, apartment to apartment.
Now, it seems, life slowed us down a bit. 401K's are of concern. The financial ability to buy a house is suddenly a valued commodity. Being able to raise 1.5 kids is a viable skill set. All the accoutrements that come with being an adult are now overshadowed by the looming responsibility of debt, death, and taxes.
It's a strange place to be. Outside of this circle. Reasonably speaking, I don't fall into these certain terms. I've still got my relative youth (read: freedom.) No girlfriend, new job, almost zero-debt. I have my whole life ahead of me at this point.
But I'm starting to think differently. I'm starting to make plans for nest eggs and "the future." I catch myself thinking about the "next step in my life," and it scares me, quite honestly. I didn't think these things mattered until now.
In a few short years, it seems, I think they will.
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