Aging Ungracefully

A switch was flipped. It seems this week I am overly sensitive about my age..

It hasn't always been this way. I have spent a good chunk of my twenties getting carded and getting reeeeeally annoyed with that. It's not like it's a huge hassle to get out my ID, but there has always been a part of me that wondered if I really didn't look 21 or if someone was just trying to flatter me.

And for that matter, I take it as a matter of pride that I don't (yet) dye my hair. Sure, I have a couple of grey ones. But it's nothing to freak out about.

However, this last week someone called the camp. She'd been here the weekend before and made a reference that she thought I'd know. "You're about the same age as my son, you'd understand."

"No, I think that was a bit before my time."

A beat. "Really? He's only 35."

It's not a big deal. Really. But I'm not 30 yet and ... well, maybe I'm starting to get sensitive about my age. Maybe there are a few more grey hairs than I like to acknowledge. Maybe a few more fine lines. Maybe I've realized how many of my friends have five-year-old kids. (Maybe it's because I spend a lot of time with people my parents' age.)

Maybe it's because I'm tired by 10PM because I get up early.

Maybe it's a bigger deal than I want it to be. This isn't exactly groundbreaking -- a twenty-something woman dreading thirty? Yeah, that's never happened before. (*Snort.*)

Maybe I just need to get out a little more. It's been a long week.

Comments

Amanda said…
We are both doomed with the early gray hair gene (thanks Mom). I have the hardest time with the fact that people I went to high school with have not only one, but in most cases two children. We can hardly manage two dogs at our house...
19 February, 2013 20:15
JustMe said…
I apparently stopped counting up at 25 because even six months after it's no longer true, I still think mentally think I'm 25 whenever people ask or mention age before correcting myself (usually internally) and saying 26. So there's always the option of living in denial...
25 February, 2013 09:06
Ashley said…
I'm clinging to the fact that my hair is turning more slowly than my sister's (I hope she doesn't see this!) ... And yeah, then there are THOSE classmates! I have a couple of college friends with 3 or more, too, and every once in awhile it really throws me off. Even though mathematically speaking, it's not all that odd.
25 February, 2013 20:54
Ashley said…
I had the worst time with 27 -- when people asked, I kept saying either 26 or 28. When I finally turned 28, it was actually easier. We'll see how badly the denial kicks in with 29...
25 February, 2013 20:55
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