Growing Old

Next month, well, exactly one month from today I will be turning 28.

That sucks.

But it sucks for weird reasons.  I don't lose sleep over turning 28, I really don't.  I might bitch and moan and complain that I'm getting old.  And if it were medieval times, I'd be in trouble.  But in modern times, and in the grand scheme of things, I still have seven years before I can run for President of the United States.  So I got that going for me.

I guess what really concerns me, when we boil it down, is that I used to sleep soundly knowing that Dad had it.  Strange noise at night?  No worries, Dad will take care of it.  I have trouble sleeping?  Dad stays up later than me.  I watched a scary movie?  Dad will take advantage and exploit my fear.  And he'd get his laugh in and then point out that it was only him and how gullible I was.  And I hated that!  I knew how ridiculous it was but yet he still got me...and I hated him for that!

My father did his own way, as I hope most fathers do, and there was no manual needed.  And here I stand.  I like to joke that my sarcasm and one-up-manship comes from my father and my need to help and hope the good guy wins comes from my mother and then it all comes together and forms my vary basic essence.  And we all come from our own backgrounds.  And my journalism background tells me to never start a sentence with and, yet I do it constantly, because I use a lot of commas too, and you shouldn't do that as well.

I guess becoming old just means that you miss all the shit you could pass off on your father.  Now when there is a strange noise in my house, it either falls on my girlfriend, or our two under-ten pound dogs, or me.  As much as I would love to throw the dogs out there and investigate, it falls to me.  And it sounds weird but I sleep better knowing that I have my family's safety.  I won't let any harm come to them and that makes me step up as a man.

But like I said, my parents came together in triumphant fashion to make me: a smart-talking, world-weary, freedom-fighting, good-natured, and just all around sad sonuvabitch, to sit here and talk to you guys.  And I ask you guys tonight to not take advantage of anything your family gives you.  Don't ever for a second think anything is eternal.  Never sit there and assume you'll see them next year.

Take advantage of time.  Relish all those times your father embarrassed you.  Remember all those times your mother had your back when she really shouldn't have because you were a little shit.  And never forget where you came from because that should be all you really care about.

No sports today, kiddos, just hold whatever family you have close.