What, me? Grow up? You must be kidding!

I’ve realized something recently. Growing up is hard to do. I suppose that I’m ahead of the curve, learning curve or otherwise, in respect to others my age. I have a starter marriage out of the way, so obviously I was married and divorced before most of the guys I know have knocked out one of those two milestones. Now, I’m living a happy life on the east side with my girlfriend and two kids. Getting kids up for school and getting them on a school bus is not exactly what I expected from myself a year ago. It’s good though, it’s just not the easiest thing to get used to.

I’ve had a theory that life catches up to you. You grow up. People generally do that. Whether marriage comes at 18 or 30, it’s almost inevitable that you find “the one”. And because “the one” can oftentimes be a myth, divorce is just as inevitable these days. But, logically, as you get older, you grow farther from your friends, get married, have kids, send them to college, retire, and die (the last of which is the only guarantee in life). Most people join the club and most people go the same route.

What I’ve found to be highly problematic, is when I suggest that others will “join the club”, I receive the response, “oh not him/her, they’ll never grow up”. Looking for examples of this in my generation seems to be too easy. The dreamers, the yuppies, the professionals, all fit into the category of “me first”. I haven’t been in that group, so it’s a bit harder for me to relate. Regardless of if I can relate well or not, I’d like to think that eventually their biological clock will need the companionship of a spouse and/or kids. I’d like to think so.