No longer passing for twenty

(me and Kelly on my 20th birthday)

My whole life I have looked younger than I really am.  And of course growing up I hated this.  It was especially insulting during my college years.  No college student wants to be constantly asked what high school they go to.  Or have high school boys hitting on them.  Or have a cop ask you one morning whilst enjoying Einsteins Bagels if you were supposed to be in school.  ("I am in COLLEGE", came my annoyed reply.  Sheesh!)

And of course this continued on into my married life.  Arguing that I was, in fact, the adult in the house. Having to show proof of age whenever at any 21 and older venue (you know, for all that clubbing I did post marriage).  This has happened as recently as last year.  And so, when Matt and I arrived at a 21 and older venue this past weekend to attend a friend's show, I had my I.D. in hand, all ready to prove that I was old enough for admittance.  Imagine my shock when the bouncer (is that the appropriate word?) didn't bother asking for my I.D.  At first I felt a little offended.  Did he really think I was that old.  And then it quickly occured to me...I am eleven years and three children past being twenty.  Yep, I think it is fair to assume I am not twenty years old.

I remember my mom always telling me that even though she got older, she felt the exact same.  I get what she means now.  I find myself still thinking that I am basically college aged.  I feel fresh out of college and that surely I can relate to anyone in that age group.  Recently Leigh had a friend over at our Sunday family dinner.  It's a friend of hers I know and that I have chatted with several times before.  And in my head we are around the same age.  At dinner I came to the realization that I am probably closer in age to her mom than to her.  And for a moment I saw myself through her eyes...and I tried to remember what I thought of a thirty something when I was only 19.  Old and not that cool.  And then I rambled on to her like a crazy old person about how young she is going to feel when she is 31.

And surely I now look at all the college students and probably mistake them for high school kids.