The first 25 Years

I am 25 years old today. That will mean, if I live to be 100, the first quarter of my life has already been spent. Lately I've been thinking about this, and how much I am going to miss those first 25 years. I am going to miss all that I’ve experienced and will no longer be able to return to. I've been thinking about all the challenges that await me in my next 25 years - and the years to come after that. I wonder if I did enough in these past 25 years, and what I will need to focus on as being the most important as I get older. I look to my dad, who will be 50 next year. I look to my grandpa, who is rounding off 75 years. I can sort of get an idea for my future and what to expect.

From where I stand, the next 50 years don't look too bad. My families as they age seem to keep all their parts and their wits about them. My grandpa is still able to get up in the morning, go to the hardware store, do some repairs around the house, do road trips, work on the computer, maintain a garden and lawn, meet up with friends, and volunteer in the community. My dad seems to be able to do all the things he’s been doing since I’ve known him and hasn’t slowed down much. In the coming years in life, aging and losing my ability to do the things I physically want to do are not any of my big concerns.

My biggest concern for turning 25 is all the responsibility and life changing events that 25 and older brings. Things I never had to worry about or felt I should even care about up until this point. Until the age of 25, one is expected to act a little immature, have a bit of fun, stay up late, go out to parties, drive a little crazier, and just be a little more carefree and wild. I feel around the age of 25, I need to move past that and become more mature. This means all the things I didn’t do between the ages of 18-25 that I may have been meaning to catch up on, I need to come to terms with and let go. That hangover trip to Vegas probably isn’t going to happen. I probably won’t get to have that coming of age road trip across country before settling down with a family, and I definitely won’t be able to have any epic college parties in my dorm. Now that I am 25 and entering the second quarter of my life, I need to focus more on being mature and what is most important.

Another thing sitting on my shoulder that I can’t shake is knowing that in my first 25 years, I’ve managed to hold on to everybody. I mean, I haven’t lost anyone really close to me through death. In a way, deep in my mind, this has provided a sense of ignorance about life and a sense of innocence I’ve yet to lose. In a way, I am nervous because I know in my next 25 years something like this is more likely to happen. I’m also aware that I am closer to the age where my generation takes charge of things and the generation before me starts to wind down and let this go. I’m also going to start seeing the next generation be born and grow, and see who’s going to be taking care of me as I get older.

It won't be bad though. I look forward to having that peace of mind and sense of security and belonging in life that usually comes from being 25 and older. I wll be more mature and people will take me more seriously and trust my judgement more as I get older and settle down. I expect I will have even more common sense and knowledge than I do now. (Which I already enjoy knowing more than I did years ago). I will be able to appreciate what I have in life more than I did in the past and have more stories to tell. I might even appreciate a good book now and then.

Overall I feel my first 25 years have been good. I’ve made enough memories and have done enough with my life thus far that I am not ashamed. I’ve made mistakes and missed out on some things, sure – but who hasn’t? I didn’t turn out a loser; I have some common sense and some education. I have a decent place to live, a car that runs, and I am in charge of my life. I will miss the past, and I am nervous about the future. But I am not afraid. I am not ashamed. And I am ready. That is what I was hoping I would feel at this point in my life. I can handle the future. I am 25 today.