Maturity With a Side of Rebellion

This weekend was funny. It started with getting home late from work because one of our clients has a large project with a short deadline. I felt uneasy as I walked into their executive offices in my hoodie & Converse high-tops (whoops, forgot about the meeting!).

Rookie move. I felt young.

Then I felt old waiting in line to go into a loud bar where I only had a few drinks, acted like I could hear what people were saying over the music & sweating profusely from dancing & trying not to get stepped on or spill my drink. My drink spilled down my shirt & I did get stepped on. Many times.

We were home before last call.

By Saturday, I felt young again when the men at Joel's work party were asking about "that drink that mixes an energy drink with liqueur".

"Oh, Jagerbombs?" I asked.

“Is that what they're called? I can't drink those now. It would send my heart into palpitations!"

I refrained from sharing how delicious that shot was last night at the bar. Marriage, houses, kids, babysitters, grandchildren, retirement...it made me too young to relate when the night before I was too old to understand. It's what the life of a twenty-something feels like. At least this twenty-something.

One day you're real mature with all these responsibilities you actually asked for & worked really hard to get. The next day you're rebelling all of it to stay young & reckless to remind yourself you're still fun & uninhibited. It often feels like a battle. Like you're fighting to prove yourself at the same time as fighting to be accepted exactly as you are.

Any other twenty-somethings feel me? I'd love to know I'm not the only one.– Em