I was chatting with a lifeguard who told me he would be spending his afternoon studying and exercising. I asked him some questions about school and learned that he was attending a 2 year technical college with plans to then transfer to a 4 year college and graduate with a degree in software engineering.
He works 20-30 hours a week for slightly above minimum wage while attending college full time and trying to make ends meet by going the budget route.
As I reflected on our conversation I had 2 thoughts:
I was sad for him. He thinks going to school and getting a degree will lead to a better life with more money, stuff and etc. The truth is, even in the best case scenario, he’ll be saddled with significant student loan debt and is on track to work like an indentured servant for the next 30-40 years.
My other thought was “We’re in completely different phases of life”. I did what he’s doing many years ago. I remember the excitement of having everything ahead of me. I remember the ambition the hope and the dreams. The entertainment and enthusiasm and naïveté. The gap between us was so wide, I might as well have been speaking to a 4 year old about his life ambitions.
Now that I’m paying attention, I see this everywhere.
Senior Citizens near the end of their lives focused on health problems, grandkids and fretting about the news.
Married 30-40 somethings with school aged kids focusing on career, kid’s education and activities.
Dedicated, ambitious workers focused on career progression, making more money and finding spouses.
People of all ages focused on prestige, social ranking and keeping up with the Joneses.
I’m at a different point in life than all of them. My choices in life have resulted in me being out of sync with people in my age group.
As a widower, a former stepparent and an early retiree, my life is more like people 20 years older than me.
But physically and mentally, my daily activities are more on par with people who are 20 years younger than me.
Perhaps one day I’ll sync up with my peers. However, based on my history, it’s doubtful.
Instead I’ll continue to notice what I have in common and what is completely different from the people in my life.
Age is just a number. Where we are in life seems more significant.