On the cusp of 27, I must admit I strongly identify with this young man.
Somewhere between college and “true adulthood,” the road map is snatched away. The road map that plots out 21+ years of life to coast upon our parents’ and societies’ expectations, as if life could be laid out as neatly as the clothes our mother left folded on the bed. That is to say, how can the tiger sneak up on us when we’re coddled by our parents for ever-increasing periods of time? “Tiger? What tiger?”
The “helicopter parents” I’m always reading about may have the best intensions, but simulations of adulthood and self-dependence (ex. college) don’t necessarily equate to the real thing. Even our early entry into, “the real world,” rewards us with help from our parents. (30, as they say, is the new 20.) And, I’m not arguing that in our modern age this isn’t a necessity. With college tuition on the rise, post-college debt is significantly higher than it was for our parent’s generation. And, the job market is nowhere near as generous. Also, we’ve had twenty-some years to daydream, enjoy our parent’s hard work, wealth, and conveniences. Adulthood, then, is more than just a mental shift; it’s a very real physical change, a lifestyle change. Some embrace this freedom while others strive to maintain the lifestyle they’ve always had, and this requires assistance and perhaps, a well-crafted delusion of adulthood.
In my personal journey, I think I’ve only just woken up and, I tell you, it’s a hungry-looking tiger…
Here's PL:
Carry on, Laura! At 27, you are very early in your journey and yet, it is clear that you are a tiger-hunter, one who is not just being "stalked" by adulthood, but rather, one who is seeking out its rewards, rights and privileges, along with its responsibilities. You are on a great journey indeed! I do believe that you've got the "eye of the tiger!"
Thanks for writing!!
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