On Being Nearly 28

And so it came to be that one not-so-very special day, I decided to sit down at my computer and write.

It's been a while since my last post, and even longer since I did any proper writing.

Seeing as my birthday is this week, I've been thinking a lot lately about where I am in my life.

My first reaction was this: I'm very nearly 28, and I haven't done anything with my life.

I don't own a house.

I don't have anything even close to a boyfriend, let alone a fiancée or husband. (so a family of my own is right out)

I don't own a car.

I don't go out on weekends to have drinks/dinner with my peers.

I haven't been to the West Coast or "Down South"

I've not seen Grey's Anatomy or any of the Bond flicks.

I have no investments, no savings, and I have student and credit card debt.

I compare myself to all the "normal" people in my age group and I feel like I'm left far behind. Like everyone else is either in, or almost at that whole adulthood thing. And that really depresses me. I feel like I have so little in common with the people around me, but not just that I have nothing in common, but that I'm somehow less than those around me. Like I just can't compare. I measure myself to the standard that it seems society has set as being successful, and find that 9 out of 10 times, I just can't cut it. And I feel sad.

Luckily for me, that doesn't last very long.

Because then I realize that holy shit, I've done a stupid amount of things in 28 years!!!

I don't own a house, but I rent one, which means that I don't have to pay property taxes, repairs, or any of that nonsense.

I don't own a car, but the money I save on gas and insurance, I can rent home for myself (see above :P)

I don't have a whole bunch of friends and acquaintances to go out drinking with on weekends, but I have a core of dear friends who are close by, and friends all over the globe who I know would welcome me should I choose to visit (as I would were they to visit me)

I've never been on vacation to BC or Cuba, but I *lived* in England and South Korea where I learned and saw and experienced SO many amazing things.

I don't have a useful degree or job-specific certifications that will get me a respectable career, but I do have a myriad of little skills that fill my time and give me pleasure. And even with my "useless" degrees and education, I still managed to find myself a well-paying job that engages me.

So I have no savings...but I'm living in the now, and enjoying life. I'm eating chocolate and pizza and ice cream whenever I want, surrounding myself with little bits of stuff that make me happy, like cushy couches, animal companions, and a bed with warm duvets and squishy pillows.

I go out when I want, and stay in when I choose, rather than doing so when it's "expected" of me.

And I don't have a significant other, but I know from relevant past experience, that I love so very easily. All it's gonna take is the right man to come along and I'll slip into love like I was a 15 year old girl again.

And the best part is that I'm only nearly 28! I have so many years more to enjoy my life and fill it with even more experiences and happy little things, and love.

Normalcy be damned!