What 26 is like

I am quickly approaching my 26th birthday. As always it's a good time to reflect on life. Especially since a quarter of my life is coming to a close. I've spent a lot of time recently, between the NYTimes article and the 20-nothings blog response, reflecting on what it means to be in my twenties. My mother at this age was almost done having her three children. She was a stay at home mom warrior. My grandmother was running a household with four children. Comparing my life to my grandmother's or my mother's is usually where the shock value comes in. Although I'm sure they would love if I did, my family is not abhorred that I haven't found a spouse and popped out a couple babies by now. Each generation means a different level of expectations and a reorganization of priorities.

Modernity has given me the option of focusing on myself. It is true that some of my fellow twenty somethings are languishing because the concept and stability of 'growing up' hasn't happened yet. Whatever assumptions we had about mid-twenties (of course) didn't happen exactly as planned. Wisdom may still be alluding us. We may be accused of immaturity, being irresponsible and self centered. Well the heck with those assumptions. I have been lucky enough to surround myself with compassionate, driven, thoughtful twenty somethings.

So to me twenty six means feeling more sure of myself…solidifying my next step when I return to the great US of A…pushing myself further than I ever have…and believing that the house with the garden and golden retriever will find me when I'm ready.