i'm that age

As I look around me at the age of 26, I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed at life. Although I must have known this was the age most people decide to settle down and start families, I guess I never thought I would get here so fast. It was more of an imaginary place where when I would speak of my future I would pre-determine how my kids would be raised and what kind of home I would be in. But it always seemed so far away.

Now, every which way I look almost every single one of my friends is engaged, married and/or having children. I look at them and although I know they are grown adults, I still see them as the 10-year old girls I met and would ride bikes and go swimming with. Where has the time gone?

I can't express enough how neat it is to watch them transform into wives and mothers and continue on the beautiful life cycle. But it's all so surreal at the same time. I know when the time comes for me that I will be ready but until it happens, I kind of feel like I can't quite relate. I still have the younger lifestyle of going out and being social whenever I want to. I have downtime with only my boyfriend and I get to enjoy unlimited amounts of fun things to do. (Not that the other stuff isn't fun).

I like to tell people I'm not in "the club" yet, although my friends desperately want me to be. It's really funny. I always say, it will happen when it's supposed to happen and I'm not in any hurry. I'm still a little bit in denial that i'm that age. Everyone who knows me knows that I can't be pushed or rushed. That's just not how I work. My time will come and maybe I can make someone else feel the surreal emotions I'm currently feeling as I watch from the outside.

Life is so strange. But it's great too.