Growing Up

Recently a newspaper or magazine had an article about growing up. I think it was the New York Times, but I can't remember. The article talked about how 20-somethings are not growing up as quickly as they used to--specifically more of us live at home with our parents, haven't finished school, and are still single.

This morning my mom packed my lunch. My "first-day-in-over-20-years-you-have-not-started-school" lunch. Even though my mom packed my lunch this morning and I am as single as can be, a few things have happened recently that have made me pause and think, "Wow, this is grown up."

-- I bought my own bed, by myself, and it's not a twin
-- Only 40% of my grandparents are still living (I had five grandparents)
-- I am experiencing the grief and shock that comes with the death of a friend and mentor
-- My younger sister is getting married
-- I realized the other day that I remember my brother's life in its entirety from a relatively adult perspective
-- I'm moving across the country and my mom isn't coming to help me
-- Being the fifth-wheel to two married couples is actually pretty fun
-- I sit on committees and boards with people in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s and call them by their first names