What a drag it is being old...NOT!

I used to think that when I hit 26, I was going to be *so old*. I mean, that's the age that Rob C was when he started the MBA program at Georgia with me. Aged man, really. He was even starting to lose some hair! Lord help! I, at a mere 22, couldn't believe how old some of my classmates were. One was even (*gasp*) 34.

So then I turned 26 quite some time ago. My buddy and I went to see The Connells in concert at Dallas that night, and I had a blast. I did youthful things, of which I would probably be ashamed, if I could remember back that far. But I can't, because it was almost a decade ago. The only thing I remember about that night was a vivid thought of "My LAND! I'm 26! I'm OLD!!! I'm as old as Rob C!"

But I do remember my years in lawyer college as fun, exciting, and carefree in a lot of ways. In fact, until I turned 30, my life was largely like that. Then, Mr. Mac and I got together. We became engaged quickly, and I started learning how to be a parental figure to Miss M. She was 3 1/2 at the time, and she needed (and at 8 1/2 still needs!) a lot of love and affection.

Now, I'm a home-owner (or I will again be in 7 weeks). I have a toddler daughter who requires help with almost every single thing she does except playing (but she prefers to play with others to by herself).

My husband, however, is marching back to school. We were at Emory this past weekend for accepted students day. He went to the whole event on Saturday, while I marched around with Elsie the Realtor buying a too expensive house. He enjoyed himself that day, and he made several new friends. He met many people from Duke, most of whom graduated a full decade after we did.

Then that evening, we went to a party thrown by a student organization.

I must say that this group is precisely the one I would have been hanging with back in my school years. They were fun. They were laid back. They wore cool clothes. They had cool pets. They enjoyed cooking and hanging back in a relaxed atmosphere with good friends. No pretention, no worries. My kind of folks.

Only thing is that these folks glaze over when you mention your child. And your other child. They're interested that you bought a house.

"Where did you buy? Oh, I didn't know there were any condos there.... What, you bought a house-house? WOW!"

They don't get the concept of having to mow the grass, and keep house.... That's too much of a hassle. They CERTAINLY don't want to know how much I'm paying.

And it made me somewhat sad that these people, who would have been "my people" back in the day, didn't get my life any more. *I* would not have gotten "my life" back then either. I had a few married friends in law school, and one even had two daughters. I remember that she was never around for Mock Trial practice in the evenings or on Sunday mornings. And she had to be out every now and again for things at her daughter's school. She was so mature, and smart, and collected. I wanted to be her when I grew up.

Now that I am a grown up with a grown up life and responsibilities, I must admit that it's not all bad. In fact, I don't feel old at all. I feel, well, just right. At this party, I was somewhat uncomfortable. I didn't want to stay very long, and we didn't. It wasn't so much that I "felt old" - I just didn't have much in common with a lot of the folks there.

My life is... well, it's just different now. I'm glad I had fun in my 20's. Really glad. However, what I'm doing now is, on the whole, fun as well. I do enjoy my husband, my kids, my home, my friends.... I don't really miss jetting off to Europe on a last-minute deal, really, but I'm ever so glad I did that a few times.

In the end, I'm glad I lived my youth as a youthful kid who made mistakes and learned lessons. I'm glad, because I think it makes me a better person today. I paid penalties for some poor decisions. I've grown, and I can say that I'm more secure of who I am and what I want today than I ever have been. I still crack wise, and play jokes. I still listen to the rock 'n roll music. I just don't party like a rock star any more. I love hanging out with my friends. Just we add kids into the mix these days. In all, I'm a grown-up version of who I used to be. And she was a damn cool gal, who is a cool lady today. Which just rocks!