Livin' Life Like It's Golden

Went out with few alumni the other night. It has been a while (almost a year) since I had the pleasure of hanging with any of my folk of the Blue & Gold persuassion. It has been a brisk year, though. I have moved closer to publishing a book and finally crawled out of the dead-end job pit. Or should I say, finally doing what I went to school for and love unconditionally.

As with my college years in general, I sometimes feel a little awkward at these gatherings. I started college in my mid-20's; I was divorced and had 2 kids. Being around people, even the ones I spent the best four years of my life with, who are 8, 9 or even 10 years younger than me, can be a little weird. No one has ever dissed or dismissed this old head with the raggamuffins. In fact, most of my fellow classmates thought it was pretty cool that I had kids, especially ones as interactive and polite as mine are. My awkward feeling usually passes after a moment or two. However, sometimes, Sean B., usually has to tell me, "Yo, we're here to party. Stop talking about them kids!" That almost happened at this gaterhing the other night. But then someone asked me about my new job and I started rambling about that for a few minutes.

After answering a barrage of questions, I listened to the others relay the exciting happenings in their lives. I looked around the table and beamed. Everybody is growing up: new homes, careers advancements, vehicle upgrades, etc. (it is how Aggies do).

Now here is where I would have usually started to feel old again. Except I felt oddly quite comfortable. This feeling was not a superior one, either. Yet, I do in fact, have something on these Aggies: parent'hood. None of these buppies/b-boys/bohos have any children, yet. Mine on the other hand, will both be out of the house in about 6 years. When this realization hit me, I smiled and nodded my head.

I am not a gung-ho parent ready to push the kids out the door. Headly, Sneadly and I have been through a lot together. And I pray that the good times continue, always outweighing the bad. I will be as close as they will allow me to be through the college years (oh, they are going; if I can do it, they will, too). But I will be done with worrying about who has or has not eaten and concern over wardrobe issues. It is going to be tough going from full-time parent mode to the chick in her mid-forties who still thinks she is a kid. I still drop it like it's hot everytime I hear a Luke cut or a jam from my clubbin' days (I love the Sprint commercial with Salt 'n Pepa's "Push It.") Yet, I am a conscientious, half-way decent parent that tries to keep the kids active while I maintain a stable lifestyle. No revolving door on the personal life or such.

The thing that makes me happiest, though, as I reflect—and this is not hate, is that we are now past certain phases. Teething, potty training, car seats, tooth fairy, baby-proofing—damn, I am breaking out in a sweat just typing this. No doubt there are parents with children older than mine laughing and saying, "Just wait. It gets much easier." I do not expect that parenting will be a cake walk from here until my youngest graduates, or even beyond that. Being a parent is an over-rated position that everyone wants to do, but few are really cut out to handle. You must take one day at a time.

I listened intently as one of the Aggies mentioned sponsoring an Aggie cruise soon; I am actually considering going. The last time I even thought about taking a trip of this sort, it fell on the same weekend as my youngest kid's birthday and I passed; not this time. While the kids will definitely have to stay with a relative, it should not be too much of a hassle; they are not babies anymore...they are damn near grown.