"On the Old Side of Young"

Yes. I don't know about you, but when I was a child, I remember spending a lot of time thinking and dreaming about how things would be better once I was older. Ya know, dress like I want, cut my hair or not, stay out late, watch whatever I want. 
Typically, I discovered that with age comes more responsibility, not so much freedom. At twenty one I was in school and kicking around marrying Sweetie, so that flew by. By twenty five I was married and expecting our first child, living in a seperate state from any family. Life just kinda kept moving at a steady pace and surged forward with a new energy necessary once our second son arrived. Thirty just happened, somewhere between potty training and kindergarten. Thirty five was just a couple, okay three years ago. Now with an 11yr old, and 13 year old, Sweetie and I find ourselves sitting in Clarksville High School's cafeteria getting information for our upcoming freshman! WHAT? In a few weeks, we get to sit through orientation for middle school with the little one. Time moves fast.
Sunday, while involved in informing others about the Abraham Project in Costa Rica, several of the college kids, (born the year we graduated highschool) asked how old I was. Without pause, I get the response, "You're not to bad for an old person!"
Me? Old? What?  I laughed in a vain attempt to cover. "I'm not old!" The response was even more amusing.
"Well, you are right, you are just on the old side of young."  Smirking, I asked for the definition. I was then told I had "about maybe 7 or 8 more years before it was official." 
Now I'm truly laughing. Ah, well. It's actually okay. While I enjoyed my 20's, I remember the frustration, that in between age where you are grown up, but not really. You may be old enough to drink, but on the other hand you can now also go to grown up jail! Folks don't take you seriously, and you have no job experience except for little stuff. You finish up school and now with a piece of paper, they expect you to "go it on your own". Hmm.  Getting married, children, job...then life starts and doesn't quit moving. Suddenly you are in your thirties and you have some experience, you actually don't mind someone calling you, "Mr. or Mrs so and so." You are responsible for bills and these little people that call you Mom and Dad rule. You enjoy watching their sports, and suddenly you start to understand a whole lot more about loving someone more than yourself.
I've been told by some precious friends of mine, that 40 is amazing and has even more things to enjoy! It will definately be a different phase, and I can either dread it, or embrace it. So I will do the latter. Besides, most days I really don't mind being, "on the old side of young"! And I figure 7 or 8 years from now, I will feel like I do today, and that is the definition of old changes the older we get!