Living Young

Sometimes life or it's lessons make us feel older than we are. Or sometimes, just as old as we really are. But I never seem to feel as old as I am. CLOSE, but I don't feel entirely "in my thirties" yet. Just having had a baby though, my body & I are feeling a tad more old than usual.

When you become a parent there is less time for young fun. It's soon replaced with kid fun. The moments of playing in the sprinkler with your kids, seeing their faces at Christmas time, the first time they say your name or "I love you". Your fun level is no longer about the new clothing store at the mall, what nice sporty car you drive, parties or talking with your friends on the phone until 3am.
Therefore, I choose to take one time a year to get away with NO kids for three days. My friend and I go down to Texas and attend a scrapbook convention. We go out to eat, picketing any place that serves happy meals, and take our time savoring every bite. (as parents you know how nice it is to eat without having to hurry every bite) We shop and stay in a hotel. We don't cook. We don't have to worry about anyone elses needs but our own for three whole days. It's heaven. But I also call it living young. We aren't worried about van payments, mortgages or packing lunches. We remember we're married, but forget we have someone else's needs to consider. We are enjoying life & having fun without worries. Freedom from our responsibilities IS living young.

Maybe I'm thinking about it more with death being so present in my life this year. And maybe it's making me think of all I still want to do. But I think it's mostly taught me not to take life too seriously because there are plenty of times we have to do that anyway. Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a mid-life crisis or wanting out from under my responsibilities as a parent & adult. I just realize you have to make time for fun, or you aren't a very sane adult.

I heard this song recently & it's my new anthem for having fun & being young at heart. Hopefully as the kids get older, I'll get more than three days a year to live young. But in the meantime, I plan to live it up & take my time enjoying being young.

MY NEXT THIRTY YEARS -Tim McGraw

I think I’ll take a moment, celebrate my age
The ending of an era and the turning of a page
Now it’s time to focus in on where I go from here
Lord have mercy on my next thirty years
Hey my next thirty years I’m gonna have some fun
Try to forget about all the crazy things I’ve done
Maybe now I’ve conquered all my adolescent fears
And I’ll do it better in my next thirty years
My next thirty years I’m gonna settle all the scores
Cry a little less, laugh a little more
Find a world of happiness without the hate and fear
Figure out just what I’m doing here In my next thirty years
Oh my next thirty years, I’m gonna watch my weight
Eat a few more salads and not stay up so late
Drink a little lemonade and not so many beers
Maybe I’ll remember my next thirty years
My next thirty years will be the best years of my life
Raise a little family and hang out with my wife
Spend precious moments with the ones that I hold dear
Make up for lost time here ,In my next thirty years