Sunday, April 17, 2005

Don't Look Now...

Blogroll Me!

...but your age is showing!

And such is how my husband and I feel when we are at a school function. At ages 45 and 43 and our oldest child not yet ten, we feel like the bubbies and zaydies of the school...compared to the babies that abound. And thus our parents must feel like the great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers of the school.

When you live in an Orthodox environment, and you are a relatively late bloomer, you're most aware of the fact. And the truth is, that this "older than thou" knowledge doesn't just stay within the perimeters of the school, but we see it at our shuls, in my children's extracurricular activites when we speak to other parents, etc.

Age is only a number, and I don't feel my age, but when I'm faced with moms who are ten years my junior and have children the same age, or moms who are my age, but whose youngest child is going on ten years old, then 43 stares me in the face.

I asked a mom today at my children's swimming lessons what years she attended a particular girls' high school in Toronto -- all I had to hear what the first number 1983 and didn't even need to listen beyond that. I told her that I'd graduated UNIVERSITY in 1983.

Yes, age is my own hangup, no doubt; nobody is trying to make me feel old. And G-d willing, in spite of the gray hairs that rear their ugly head every now and again, my three young children will keep me and my husband young, as well!

3 comments:

torontopearl said...

Granted, TuesdayWishes. But you fall into the other category that I made passing reference to -- Eli will be in grade 2, but you will have other kids finishing high school or going into seminary, I think. You have a clan of kids, I have a trio...!
My middle one is now in grade 2, my oldest is in grade 4, my youngest will be in SK come September...and I'm already 43, turning 44 later this year.
In any case, the Geritol could be kicking in already for me, if only I'd get off this damn computer in the wee hours of the morning!

Air Time said...

When our oldest was in kindergarten, we looked around at all the parents in the class and realized we were the youngest by ten years. We were 26 and 25, and the next youngest parent looked to be about 35. My other son's class is full of parent our age, but it was the reverse feeling of what you are talking about.

Anonymous said...

Pearl,

Age is an illusion. Read this:

http://nevertoolatetobegin.blogspot.com