Next Wednesday the Mike odometer will flip over to 32. Some festivities are planned, but the date of July 15th, which once had such resonance in my life, is mostly just another day.
If anything, it's a time to reflect upon the things I've lost along the way, and appreciate the things I still have. Which is why I'll often have larger get-togethers around my birthday but save the actual day for a special, low-key evening.
When I turned 21, I received a birthday card in the mail from my grandmother. Inside, in her incredibly small writing, it said, You're a man now. Love Nana. A simple declaration, but profound to me. There are people in the world that can change you with only words.
I didn't know it then, but that card was a harbinger of the transition into adult life. College had been the last stop of my childhood. When I graduated, I was more confident, wise, and prepared, but many things were lost.
I could try to express what changed, but I can't really capture it in words. The world was simply less magical. There was less time to dream, less energy to do so even when there was time. Life became a series of jobs that had to be done.
I could pretend that life really hasn't changed. That I haven't lost much of the magic and excitement of childhood. But every July 15th serves as a reminder. Gone are the days when July 14th meant a sleepless night. When my head hits the pillow next Tuesday, I'll fall asleep quickly. And the next morning I'll get out of bed and catch the bus, because I have a job to go to. That's what adults do.
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