Missing the Boat

Thursday, March 10, 2011
This past weekend, I was flipping through digital pictures while Andy looked over my shoulder. As we flipped through pictures of summer sunsets, boat rides down the lake, weinie roasts, and blueberry picking ventures, we both grew a little nostalgic for summer. Running around in a t-shirt was a pretty good time . . . .

But this post isn't about missing the boat as in "I wish I could have me a boat right now." It's about wondering if some boat's gone by recently which I've failed to get on. 

Today, ladies and gents, I turn 26 years old, which puts me firmly closer to 30 than 20. I realize this doesn't exactly render me ancient, but it does make you realize there's no escaping adulthood now. 

But as a childless, unmarried twenty-something, now closer to 30 than 20, you can get to wondering about your adultlike accomplishments. (Truthfully, after enough time spent over at the neighbors and watching their one-year-old have a diaper blowout that blasted poo down to his socks, I'm okay with not ever having kids . . .  for a while.)

Andy's been talking about owning his business since we reconnected a couple years ago. It's one of those sometimes dreams. Something that seems a long ways away. But sometimes we brainstorm business names on late night drive homes and inevitably, I feel the need at some point in the conversation to assert that I'm "not making any beds!"

In the last couple weeks, we've heard news both of a young family buying a nearby resort and of someone I know is younger than me (if only by a couple months) purchasing their first business. I applaud their success, but it does leave me wondering, are we missing something? How have they figured this out while I've spent the past week pulling my hair out because I have to figure out what it means to be self-employed on my taxes. (I suppose we could argue that having to file self-employment taxes would indicate success, but it sure doesn't feel like success when you're in the midst of a tax filing nightmare.) 

Maybe I'm already in the midst of adultlike accomplishment. Maybe I'm confusing accomplishment with glamor and life in the woods this winter has certainly been low on glamor. All I know, is the ice can go out any day now. I'm ready to get on that boat.

13 comments:

  1. It's hard to not get caught up in other's lives and accomplishments and not get discouraged. You just have to be happy with your life and where you are and strive to continuously grow! I love your blog! I've stopped by from FTLOB.

    Lenette

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  2. Happy Birthday!!!!!

    Welcome to the other side of 25! :) At 28 I am closer to 30 than you so take comfort in that my friend :)

    I opened my business at 25 and though that first year (and a half) were tough and I thought I would never have money again, its amazing now and wouldnt change it for the world. The one thing I will say though is...you are going to need to pay a professional to do the taxes :)

    You are amazing! Enjoy your day :)

    Katy

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  3. Trust me, you are still very young and have lots of time to do what you want to do. It's not everyone that gets to live the way you are living right now! Children can wait too, if you so desire them. Had mine at 37 and 39! You seem to be living a beautiful life, go with the flow on that boat!

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  4. Happy 26th Birthday! As a fellow childless, almost-to-thirty, reflect-on-the-path-taken individual I've had a similar conversation with myself around my birthday. But I think perhaps you're on to something with
    "Maybe I'm confusing accomplishment with glamor"
    Everyone's journey in life takes a different road. Some is the fast lane and others a scenic road. Enjoy the trip! Where ever it takes you! Happy Birthday!

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  5. Everyone's accomplishments WILL look different. At 26 that is the biggest gift of acknowledgement that you can grant yourself... Because no two lives will ever look the same. And i PROMISE you there is someone out there, looking at your life as well and wondering why they don't have it together like you do...

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  6. OM Gosh, I meant to say Happy Birthday to you!!! I hope you are having a beautiful birthday!

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  7. Happy Birthday!!! I remember turning 26 and having the same thoughts in my head. I was just married one year and it really took me some time to adjust to being closer to "30" than I was to "20" but it really does just get better.

    Because I love your blog so much and I guess as a birthday gift to, I awarded you the Stylish Blogger Award! You can check it out here:

    http://anirishitalianblessing.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-won-i-won.html

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  8. i feel you! some of our friends are talking about buying housed...in LA. and now that we've done our taxes (and David is self-employed), we realize how little money we do actually have. David will be 27 in June, I'll be 26 in December... the quarterlife crisis is hitting hard!

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  9. Happy birthday! Your words are wise and your self-questioning responsible, and I guess that is the most important gift that life has given you at this age: a sound mind. I will turn 27 in less than a month and have been asking the same kind of questions for a while now. I guess it is difficult to see clearly between your own expectations from you and those of everyone else (who matters), and also it is hard when you look at others (maybe younger than you) and see them more 'accomplished', at least according to some standards. So before I turn my comment into a post on your post :), let me just say that seeing clearly ahead might not be easy, but trying to see clearly inside yourself might be essential. Enjoy your day! I so love your blog.

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  10. Happy Birthday! Don't worry you still nice and young! You still have so much in ahead for you it's not funny!! You have a great site. I look forward to returning.

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  11. This is my kind of blog...great writing!
    Happy Birthday.:)
    Stopping by from the weekend w.
    Madison

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  12. Yes, I remember 26. That was an odd year, mentally anyways. It's kind of weird to think of yourself as getting closer to 30 than 20, isn't it! Lol. Fortunately, once I hit 30, everything felt right again. The impending doom of turning 30 had passed, and BEING 30 was actually just alright! :) Not as painful as I'd imagined it would be.

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  13. I remember 26 as being a transitional year for me. I think the idea of being closer to thirty than 20 did rock me a bit. I did make a big life change that year, I got engaged and a year later got married. Maybe it is the realization that one is on the brink of making descions that do form our life, our choices, it is enough to freak you out. I think it is great that you see this, I think I made very concious decisions and have been, for the most part, very happy in my life. When I have not been happy I feel I have the ability to change what I need to. I am still happily married, we just celebrated our 18th Anniverary last week. We also have three children, 12, 9 & just turned 6! I was glad I waited with the kids too! Happy Birthday and have fun!

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