There was such a bad reaction to Jim that I’m going to go with James instead. I won’t stop anyone from using Jimmy, but I’m going to change what I call myself. There are endless silly pros and cons and more exciting options, but hey, it’s just a name.<\/p>\n
I’ve been thinking about youth.<\/p>\n
I’m in awe of a friend of mine. She has a husband, a career, a house, a dog; she’s had a history of excellence in Rocky and been a leader of the community since before I joined. She approaches life as a vibrant adult, grounded but still growing. So I’ve always looked to her as a role model. And she’s a year younger than me.<\/p>\n
Some part of me still conceives of myself as a student, a youth, a troublemaker without a cause and without the wherewithal to be a true rebel. When I teach or organize or lead, it’s with a tongue in cheek chic of a boy among boys. I have the experience and understanding to do more. And the capacity to take the endless responsibility and the responsibility to do it to my full capacity.<\/p>\n
But there’s plenty of time to be old. I never want to stop adventuring with life. I love my younger friends as peers, and I think rightly so: I’m always being impressed by their initiative, maturity, and experience. I don’t want to give up my million playtime projects or get a job with a title that pretends to define me. I don’t want to settle, or even settle in.<\/p>\n
The brochure for life doesn’t advertise any good packages for this. I want the best of both youth and adulthood. I’m supposed to be getting a pet (if not a child), a car (if not a house), start drinking beer regularly, stop getting too excited. But I don’t want to be a tree: I’m a pond plant, growing deep roots while still living in a totally fluid world.<\/p>\n
And it’s not just me. The brochure we got was out of date when we were born. We need a new paradigm. A phase in life that acknowledges how changeable things are in the era of the internet, where people discover new interests, communities, careers, selves every five years.<\/p>\n
I’m writing up a description of who I am when I’m at my best, in my zone, getting the most out of the incredible life I’ve already built and discovered around me. I want that to be James. Maybe it’s time to re-read King, Warrior, Magician, Lover.<\/p>\n
Thoughts? Is it a bore to read my inner musings? I know others are in similar situations: has anyone else found such a paradigm?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There was such a bad reaction to Jim that I’m going to go with James instead. I won’t stop anyone from using Jimmy, but I’m going to change what I call myself. There are endless silly pros and cons and more exciting options, but hey, it’s just a name. I’ve been thinking about youth. I’m … Continue reading [muse] Wasted on the Young<\/span>