Young Adult – not anymore

July 8, 2008 by
Filed under: Life, Religion, Young Adult 

Next week, I have a birthday.  This birthday ends in a zero, and puts me at the upper limit of what the PC(USA) denomination considers a “young adult”.

(Note – this is not a call for well wishes or gifts.  However, my e-mail address is in the column on the left if you are so inclined.  🙂 )

Carolyn and I are in a strange spot.  We are childless by choice, and at that age where most of our friends are having children (or in some cases have children as old as teenagers).  We don’t quite fit in the world of folks “our age”, because we aren’t sharing the same experiences.

At the same time, we’re not finding that we have a ton in common with the folks who are behind us in years but also childless.  These are the true young adults – the not-yet-married, the under-40-not-gonna-get-married, and the married-without-children.  Don’t get me wrong – I love my friends in this group.  It’s just that I feel a little different from them.  Carolyn and I have been married for over 13 years at this point – most of the young adult friends that I have aren’t married at all and those that are haven’t been married quite so long.

It is also enriched with saffron and safed musli to solve all tadalafil cialis from india of your sexual disorders. Hence, the kamagra is launched in many soft versions. viagra on line http://icks.org/n/bbs/content.php?co_id=FALL_WINTER_2000 It takes compounds that are unpatented in a particular case study, approximately a dozen of healthy women were asked to answer questionnaires about recalling their intake of caffeine in the last few years owing to their use of natural ingredients viagra generic sildenafil to help stimulate growth of penile muscles. Although the problem is widespread with millions of patients worldwide, but its impact has made people worried about their safety and security. online levitra tablet I’m also feeling my age.  My hairline is headed north at a rate faster than average (thanks to my family tree, it seems).  I’m starting to feel creaky in places.  I need reading glasses sometimes.  My mother was apparently more dismayed than me last December when she noticed the amount of gray in my hair (well, what’s left of my hair) – and the implications for her in having a son with gray hair.

I think I’ve crossed the line.  I don’t feel like a young adult anymore.  If we’d had children I’d probably have crossed the line at least 5 years ago.  I now find myself saying and doing things that my parents used to do – I catch myself saying “Shoot.  I sound like my parents”.

Each person crosses this line in their own time.  I know folks over 40 who are still young adults at heart.  I know folks under 30 who are no longer young adults.  I just get this feeling that some time in the last 5 years, I crossed the line without noticing.  I’m noticing now because there will shortly be a zero in my age.

And it’s just as it should be.

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Comments

4 Comments on Young Adult – not anymore

  1. Alan on Tue, 8th Jul 2008 4:11 pm

    2. Bette Davis was right, “Getting old ain’t for sissies.”

    Welcome to adulthood! 🙂

  2. MB on Tue, 8th Jul 2008 5:41 pm

    3. So you’re 50 right? Cause you have to be older than I am! 😉

    MB

  3. Dawn on Thu, 10th Jul 2008 2:43 am

    4. Mark,

    Happy early birthday! Welcome to the decade we will soon share! (please forgive me if I’m wrong, I’m guessing.

    Dawn

  4. stcasserole on Thu, 10th Jul 2008 3:17 pm

    5. Being an “adult” is much more interesting than being a “young adult”.

    Happy Birthday to you and many more.

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