So, lately, I've been thinking about where my life is v. where I thought I'd be at age 26 v. where my peers seem to be in their lives. Now, I try my very hardest not to compare my life and what's happening or not happening in it to other people's but sometimes, it just happens. I'm by no means wishing my life were different (although I do wish I had a job, but duh) or implying that I'm jealous of where their lives are v. where I'm at.
I'm just stunned it's so...different. I'm 26, single(ish), currently unemployed (i cringe having to say that), living in Chicago, and perfectly happy (well...almost perfectly). I have awesome friends and a great life and I'm seeing a great guy. My life rocks.
However, today I learned an old friend is pregnant with baby #2...and she is only a year older than me. She's been married for several years and has a baby who just turned 1. She is not my first friend to be working on baby #2, not by a long shot. Recently, actually, it seems like there has been explosion of pregnancies and/or people popping out babies. It's just so ridiculous.
Monica is getting married in 2 months, Amanda is getting married in 9. A good portion of my friends are married & have been for years. Most of them are thinking about babies in the next year or two...
And me? I'm like "I like wine, the gym, and my hot trainer boy toy." When I think about even the remote possibility of maybe having kids one day, I'm like "ew, gross, no." Marriage? Yeah, I'd like to get married eventually, but its not even really on my radar right now (ok, sorta b/c I'm in 2 weddings within the year, but me, myself, getting married soon? nope). The Boy & I are still in the "getting to know you" phase of things but are so ridiculously attracted to each other, we have a hard time focusing on much else.
Monica & I were on the phone the other day & I said "I just don't know how I got so far behind where we're supposed to be in life!" Her response was "well, is that what you want? To be married and have a baby on the way?" & I was like "uhm...no, not really, but I feel like I should!!" To which she replied "I think you're fine, you're happy and that's all that matters."
Which is so so true...but it's so easy to forget, what with society's expectations, my parents' expectations, my friends' realities...plus, what the 17 year old me thought my life would look like at 26. Why do we always worry we're so far behind when really, we're right where we're supposed to be?
No part of me wants to be married right, or be a mom right now, or any of that. I want to get myself somewhat established in my career, continue to live in Chicago, and figure out if The Boy and I are gonna go much further than the "seeing each other" status we're at right now. I'm NOT supposed to be getting married soon or having a baby soon...I don't know what I feel like I'm behind the times when I'm moving at the pace I'm meant to be. There's not universal timeline that says "26 year olds should be married, beginning to try and spawn, and be thinking about buying a house," so why would I worry that I'm behind?
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