Change comes, whether we like it or not.
Getting old beats the alternative.
You’re only as young as you feel.
—
Sentiments such as those above have been whirling around in my head ever since I reached my 30s. My mom had me when she was 29 years old. So when I reached 29, I felt like that officially made me an adult.
Problem is, I don’t want to be an adult.
I want to go back to living in Mallard Pointe apartments with Colleen and Kate and Corinne, partying until all hours of the night, walking back and forth between apartments and never knowing what the night will lead to. I was 22.
I want to go back to riding in the middle seat of John’s car, Carmen in the passenger seat, holding a candle while he drove us to the airport so we could play on the moving sidewalks in the middle of the night (pre 9/11). I was 15.
I want to go back to the nights when starting the party at midnight didn’t seem like such a bad idea after all, sitting with my newspaper coworkers on the back porch of the small house Jeff and I shared, watching the sun come up and we hadn’t yet gone to bed. I was 25.
Sometimes I want to go back to the time when my biggest scheduling concern was whether I would wake up from my nap in time for Sesame Street. I was 4.
Or when Amy and I used to argue over which one of us looked older (an argument I’d be happy to lose today!). I was 8.
Heck, I even want to go back to dancing the night away at 8es for the first time, a night that ended with me stealing a shelf from an empty apartment in order to help Chris with his decorating needs. I was 30.
—
But since I can’t go back, I will go forward. I will run forward, to be exact.
I choose to spend my last day of 31 running. 11 miles to be exact. And I’ll meet Corinne at the end of it for coffee and conversation. Maybe we’ll even talk about the old days.
It’s not quite Mallard Pointe, but it doesn’t suck, either.
Comments
10 responses to “You can’t go back”
Eh, going back isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I went back once. I hopped in this hot tub, and WOOOOOSH, there I was in the 80’s again. Big hair, neon clothing, lace gloves and leg warmers… Synthesizers in every song, massive national debt, hostilities with the middle east, Goonies playing on every TV… It was a HOT TUB TIME MACHINE! Just like the movie!
Actually now that I think about it, I think I just woke up and MTV was on. The 80’s were bad enough the first time, and I truly hate seeing them coming back.
No, it doesn’t suck, does it 😉
Some are born into adulthood. Other have adulthood thrust upon them.
Me? I called in sick.
.-= Elwood´s last blog ..For all the advances in medicine, there is still no cure for the common birthday. =-.
I don’t want to be old, but sometimes being an adult is awesome. You can make your own choices! You have (some) money! You can decide what to play on the radio! You can have your favorite dinner every night! And you’re not too young to see that band you love. Or spend the night with the boy you love. I have moments like this, and then I think about all that stuff I wanted to do but couldn’t. And I get happy. Adult, but not old. Perfect balance. 🙂
Happy birthday!
Have fun on the run! Happy Birthday tomorrow!!!
Have fun on the run! Happy Birthday tomorrow!!!
😉 Aint it the truth!!! I like EDW’s comment as well though. Happy early birthday and good luck with the run!
😉 Aint it the truth!!! I like EDW’s comment as well though. Happy early birthday and good luck with the run!
You are one of the youngest people I know:) I love you and can’t wait to see you in a couple of weeks!! Happy Early Birthday to my amazing and beautiful sister-in-law!! (and, in a couple of short months, maybe I’ll be able to start joining you on these runs of yours…. as soon as the little ladybug makes her appearance!)
You are one of the youngest people I know:) I love you and can’t wait to see you in a couple of weeks!! Happy Early Birthday to my amazing and beautiful sister-in-law!! (and, in a couple of short months, maybe I’ll be able to start joining you on these runs of yours…. as soon as the little ladybug makes her appearance!)