Feeling Old

I had a milestone birthday this year. You know, one of those birthdays that ends in a big old fat zero. It didn't really make me feel old. When S turned this same age, we went to Vegas. So, I thought when I hit the same age, we would go to an equally as fun place. Nope, we just went to Illinois. We were in the middle of our move from China to India and had to return to Illinois to get our visas for India. I didn't really have a lot of time to think about my birthday as the next day we were flying back to Beijing...plus at the time, I was really sick with a parasite and had to actually go to the doctor on my birthday. Talk about a fun way to celebrate.

So basically, my birthday came and went, and I really didn't give it much thought. No big parties, a few gifts, a cake I think (don't honestly remember because I was so sick I wasn't really eating much, but I'm guessing my mom made some type of dessert for me), and that was about it. Really, just another day.

This all occurred almost 6 months ago. However, today, I'm feeling old. Why the 6 month delay? OK, honestly it has nothing to do with my milestone birthday. It has to do with the fact that S and mine's oldest nephew is turning 16 today. Yikes! How did he get to be so old and grown up so fast? When S and I started dating, he was like maybe 2 or 3, and now he's turning 16!

A couple of weeks ago, my good friends' daughter turned 16. However, I've only known her for about 6 or 7 years, so even though it seems weird that she is driving now, it didn't make me feel old. Our nephew turning 16 though is a totally different story. Where has the time went? S and I aren't old enough to have a 16 year old nephew! But, we do.

Heck, I remember the day I turned 16. I had waited for it my entire life. I could finally legally drive. Before that, I had been driving for years...since I think I was like 6 years old...on the farm. I've always loved driving and never minded the long commutes that I had from where we lived to where I worked. There is nothing like having the freedom to hop in the car and go wherever you want whenever you want.

This I miss. For a year now, S and I haven't had this freedom. We are at the liberty of our driver. In Beijing, it wasn't as bad as here, because we could go out at any point and catch a taxi if we really wanted to go somewhere. Also, we could walk to a lot of places. Here in India though, it's a totally different story. No taxis and besides the beach, no place really to walk to. It's just one of the things we gave up in order to live overseas in China and India. We deal with it, but at times like today when our nephew can jump in a car and go wherever, and we can't, it really makes me miss my car and our SUV.

But, they'll be waiting for us come December, and we'll put a couple of thousand of miles on driving around Illinois for a few weeks. That will have to do until the next time we are in the U.S. In the meantime, I'm here in India feeling old, but hoping that our nephew has a great birthday and enjoys the freedom of having his driver's license.