The thirties jitters

I have mixed feelings about stepping into the thirties. There is this fear of missing out on fun. There's certain allure to the messy lifestyle in the twenties. Will I still be able to experience that with the people of my age? Will people judge me for behaving like a twenty-something? Fortunately, so far I have found friends driven by the same spontaneity so I don't feel alienated from the younger bunch yet. But the day some kid back in India says "Excuse me, uncle" to me, will be the day a part of me dies (or the kid!).

Then there's the question "Are your best days behind you?". For the foreseeable future, the answer is a resounding 'no'. But keeping it that way is not easy. I have to evolve continuously, keep learning stuff, develop new skills, be better at work, acquire more knowledge; keep life from getting stagnant. I'm scared of doing the same thing day after day, weekend after weekend. Will that time come when I will stop looking forward to the future and start ruminating over past achievements? It better not!

On the brighter side, if I ask myself "do I hate growing up?", absolutely not! Growing up has meant being more confident, being better at handling crisis, learning to avoid mistakes of the past, being emotionally and financially independent. There is satisfaction and pride in looking back and knowing how far you have come. I want more of that.

Here's to the hope that our greatest accomplishments always lie ahead of us. To the thirties!