A Peck of Gold

Knowing Smiles

[motivational rambling]

As a teenager, I did not have many friends in their 20's. They were at college, getting married, becoming certified, grade-a grownups. I watched from afar, and dreamt of the day I turned 21, and became a card carrying member of the group. So, when that day finally came, I naturally assumed that I was done "maturing". I was, after all, no longer a child. It wasn't arrogance really, it was just an assumption based on, well, everything that society tells us. No one told me differently, so I was quite sure of myself. I look back now, and laugh goodnaturedly at those thoughts. As I traversed the 20's, I was shocked that I didn't have everything about life figured out- that I knew far less than I had imagined. It was not necessarily an easy lesson. But now, as I get closer to starting the very last year of my 20's, I am glad that I'm not done maturing. I understand now, that you're never really done. The 30's will be a reflection of that maturing process, just like the 40's and 50's and on and on until my days are spent. There is always more to learn, more to change, more to grow. I am grateful for that! Life would be so boring otherwise!

It's funny though. While I smile knowingly at those 20somethings, enjoying their youthful confidence and exuberance, there is a 30 or 40 year old smiling knowingly at me too, thinking the same thing, or something. I know this because I catch them with that glint in their eye, before they turn away to keep the unwritten secret, the same way I do. It's reassuring in a strange way.

So, for you teenagers, this is a friendly heads-up. And for those of you in the midst of those turbulant early 20's, I write as well. I know this time is built up like the pinnacle of adulthood, but my-oh-my, that's a misconception. It's just the beginning! Adulthood is not the reward at the end of adolescence (though you've certainly earned one by surviving it). Instead, it's a whole new challenge. You're standing before the dawn of a new day. Don't expect to have all the answers. Don't think the rest of us "grown-ups" expect you to have them. We're here, cheering you on. We remember, with vivid clarity, how hard it can be in the first leg of the race. It's an unfamiliar road. But the good news is, once you get that second wind, when your stride is long and confident, you'll come around a new bend, and another, and another.

The scenery is ever-changing, just like you will be, and life stretches out sweet and promising. It's even better than you imagined.

[/motivational rambling]