Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself and not recognized who you saw? Perhaps this has a little to do with Lisa's thoughts on aging...
Well, this happenend to me one morning this week. I was leaving my apartment to go to school, and when I got to the car I realized I had left my usb drive on my desk in my room. Now, this is a very important piece of equipment, so I figured I should go back and retrieve it. So, back up 2 flights of stairs, down a hall, and back into the locked apartment. I didn't turn any of the lights on, because I could see enough to know where I was going. Said usb drive was retrieved, and on my way back through the living room, I saw myself in our really big mirror in the dining room--and I was surprised by what I saw --I looked like a grown up! I know that probably doesn't sound so shocking to anyone else, but I don't always think of myself as a grown up, so it caught me off guard.
Then it got me thinking about what I (and the rest of my graduate student friends) probably look like to the undergrads (especially the freshmen) in the college. I bet they think we're really old :) I remember thinking that about the upper classmen when I got to college the first time. But I remember even more strongly when I got to high school, and there were students walking around with facial hair! I thought they were super-old then! Alas, they were only 18 and so young then (well, most of them).
How did I become such a grown up? When did it happen? Who is that person in the mirror?
3 comments:
I don't recall doing specifically what you describe, but I do remember a time that I caught a glance of the reflection of my hands and realized that they looked aged like my mothers!
I get the "when did I grow up?" feeling more from having to do certain things than from seeing myself. For instance, last year we didn't get a refund from income taxes and had to pay quite a bit more when we filed our return(a 1st for both of us). That made me feel old.
Oh I totally know what you mean- in fact I get that feeling when I talk to people who are in my eyes "grown ups" and they treat me like a grown up too- I get all weirded out. Also now when I go places and deal with people in their "early to mid 20s" and they call me Ma'am or I accidentally call them sweet heart or dear. ACK! I realize I am just an old lady and even more traumatizing I'M SOMEBODYs MOM! not a new born but I person with their own friends and set of aquantiences they reccognize in public now!!!! ACK! now THAT's old.
And to whichever M in CA answered, just wait till you buy a house and have a kid or two- you'll get back a good 1/3rd of what you paid in!
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