I was approached Monday morning to write a column for the Houstonian. Having no clue what to write, I sat in my usual recliner chair of my fabulous apartment on Tuesday night with an iced down Dr. Pepper, a copy of that morning’s Houstonian and a hot bowl of Ramen (yes, I still eat Ramen), pondering on some sort of subject matter which might possibly attract someone’s attention.
Not being an avid writer by any means, frequently suffering from writer’s block and with no means of inspiration I didn’t come up with many ideas. Luckily while doing my nightly reading I came across a quote that struck a glimmering hope of creative writing; “I guess when you turn off the main road, you have to be prepared to see some funny houses.”
To me this is like aging. Each different stage in life is an intersection in which you must choose which direction to take. Of course each direction has its fair share of a new atmosphere.
This young adult age, roughly nineteen we’ll say, is one era where I think we take that first intersection. In my eyes, it’s a seemingly selfish age. Each person cares about little, except for the few necessities, and has an “out of my way world” type of attitude. Which, in all honesty isn’t such a negative thing given most of us are in college. We have that raw drive and determination that is uncanny and necessary to succeed in our career goals.
Another thing about being a young adult: it is the age where I think we get stuck in life (mentally and emotionally, if not physically). We wake up one morning to find ourselves looking into the mirror puzzled, “Where did that potbelly come from?” Or even worse is having that feeling of near death after taking that long sprint to get out of the rain. Inevitably, time slips away from us.
Time puts grey in your beard or in some cases you hair, time takes away your youth and vitality, and all the while you’re thinking-silly you-that time is in some shape, form or fashion still on your side. Which the more perceptive part of your logic tries to believe this, but your heart still cries its youth.
Though changes are happening, some more rapidly than others, it’s still the greatest time of your life. Take time to notice this and don’t ever let it go to waste because one day you’ll be stuck with your job, a family, and financial burdens all while trying to remember the days when you had your youth. And those days you’ll wish you were able to see some “funny houses.”