Why Georgia

I can’t say that I ever had dreams about being in my twenties. I’m not sure what I thought it would be, where I thought I’d be. I’m pretty sure though, that it wasn’t here. Quarter-life crisis, thank you John Mayer for putting it into words, words that may be typically generational but nonetheless resonating.

The only thing that makes this life crisis so tragic is that we lack the funds for a Corvette and it’s not so impressive to start dating a 20-something. And so that “what do I do now” feeling seems to have no outlet.

We get by in jobs that we don’t want forever. We make do with what life has given us as of yet and sip the cocktails we make of the lemons we squeeze so tightly. We hold onto dreams of our childhoods, or remake them into something realistic. Or try to satisfy the dissonance between what we wanted and newly discovered desires.

And, if you’re me, you make plans. Because, even though NONE of your previous plans turned out how you thought they would, you can’t stop yet. You’re still too young to stop trying and hoping and dreaming. We still have three-quarters of our lives left – really?? What can that be like? How many times will we feel old in our lifetime? I suppose it’s all relative.

Despite that we feel overwhelmed by this moment, there is so much more to do. Experience. Love, stomach-aching laughter, stolen moments, pain, life altering people, twists, an unimaginable life. We aren’t really old. We’ve only just begun. In fact, in twenty years, we still won’t be old. We still won’t know what our lives will offer – that is apparent if only we look at our parents, who still are getting married, divorced, going to school, changing jobs, having their lives rocked by people and experiences in their lives . . . ok, maybe that’s not hopeful!

But, my point is, this crisis is like any other. Hold on tight, engage the fight-or-flight response, and push through however you can. Emerge. That is all you can hope for, I’m pretty sure. And prepare for the next crisis – they say bottled water is key, especially when hot flashes become a factor.

“It might be a quarter life crisis, or just a stirring in my soul. Either way I wonder sometimes, about the outcome of a still verdictless life.” – thanks John