4.08.2010

Last evening, we attended an awards night produced by our Darling Daughter. Unless invited I don't think parents should intrude on a healthy 20 something's world but she told us at dinner Tuesday we were welcome to attend so we jumped at the chance. About 300 University students made up the vast majority of the audience.

It was long and loud but they were all dressed up and excited to be nominated and in some cases, to win. Their enthusiasm for life and the limitless possibilities ahead of them was palpable in the room.

As I looked around over the course of the evening at all these "baby adults" just starting to be independent, moving a bit uncertainly about under their own steam, very keen to do everything by themselves! It struck me how much in their lives has yet to happen.

So many decisions lie ahead of them and the consequences thereof.  With independence comes freedom to choose but also obligation to manage the consequences of those choices and of course manage them from amid the maelstrom of day to to day life.

Of course my big scary decisions around marriage and children, career, house and home are behind me and by and large worked out better than I ever hoped they would. Those 20 years following my graduation were satisfying beyond words but also utterly consuming. Now I have the mental capacity to look into, explore and enjoy the little delicious details of life like, oh, say Knitting for example!

As I knit in the car on the way home, looking out through the rain smeared windows at the lights of the city, I wondered what more in this world I could want than this fabulous life of mine!

Thanks for dropping by today.

P.S. I hope to finish the second sleeve on the Minimalist Cardi tonight!

4 comments:

Anne Campbell said...

I so agree with you! There are obviously a lot of good things about being young, but maturity has a lot more going for it than is generally acknowledged. I have a good life, and knitting is absolutely a part of it.

Brendaknits said...

It is so nice to read your sentiments about being happy and content with what you have.

LynS said...

I share with you your thoughts about the pleasure of being invited to enter a small part of your grown-up children's world.

I'm just reaching yet another stage of my life when big decisions need to be made. I'll finish up at work soon and at around the same time move to a smaller apartment. I have big decisions to make about balancing what I want to do with the rest of my life and what I can afford to do. They're 'personal' decisions that will have a significant impact on my quality of life, but also eventually on that of the rest of my family, so I want to make them well.

Even when you think your life has settled it continues to present challenges.

Stephanie said...

I love the way you've put it: '"baby adults" just starting to be independent, moving a bit uncertainly about under their own steam, very keen to do everything by themselves' Though I must confess I've been very keen to have my hand held with all the things I need to do lately, I am starting to more and more feel in control of my life and not having to rely on my parents so much. It's pretty scary! And exhilarating! And amazing. Life is a fabulous thing.