Who You Calling Old??

Currently Listening To :: World Filled With Love :: Craig David

It isn't even my birthday and the topic of age is coming up.

Case in point. I had a vegetarian linguine for lunch on Sunday. My second drink on Saturday night at this bar was non-alcoholic, after which I proceeded to give up a night of clubbing for 2 hours in a karaoke booth. I slept at 10:30pm on Friday night.

I distinctly remember a few years ago, after a successful night out clubbing, I said (out loud, mind you), that if I ever got tired of clubbing, that's when I knew I was getting old. God, that seemed like ages ago, I can hardly remember it.

So...AM I getting old?

A friend to me said the other night that she felt as if it was time to take that "next step" into another "stage in life". That seems to be a pretty popular term. Stage in life that is, not the "next step". That phrase reminds me of screen teens agreeing to a pact (which, while similar to, is not exactly, a bet), and helping each other to lose their virginity before prom night. But I digress. Back to the next step, I mean stage in life.

People seem to make so much out of this phrase. Apparently, people at different stages of their lives won't make good couples. And there's some truth to that. There are also stages in your life where you are career oriented, and stages where other things in life take greater precedence. There's also some truth to that. But then there are those who think that you can change stages of life overnight, like turning a chariot into a pumpkin. And that DOESN'T make sense (but it sure helps from a logistical standpoint. I mean, it's not like fairy-godmothers can work magic now can they?)

Old? I don't like to use that word. A while back I came up with an acronym for O.L.D., which spelt Outlook on Life Defined. That was a few years ago, so naturally I'm asking myself if I've achieved any great definition in my outlook. Part of me thinks that growth as a person comes naturally. Of COURSE I'm going to have a greater idea of where I'm going, what I'm doing, what my short term goals are. How could they not?

But at the same time, a lazy bird gets no worm at all. Part of me worries that as a number of my goals are coming to fruition, other things that I thought were short goals are now looking increasingly like long shots.

Perhaps I'm losing my drive. As a close friend put it, perhaps I'm in need of a "metaphysical kick to the head"; something to put things back into motion. I mean, when life becomes comfortable, what does Ben do? My natural reflex is to make a change, shake things up, reach for the spice rack as it were.

But now I'm thinking...would I give up comfort for the sake of it? That's like cutting off your nose to spite your face though; I've waited too long for my life to be in a state of contentment. And if that means I'm getting old, then so be it.

Never fear though. Come my birthday party, I plan to be drinking all night, sleeping late and raising some hell just for, well, the hell of it. Why?

Because I'm old enough to know (better) than that dammit.