"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. " -Helen Keller

Monday, July 04, 2011

Surprises In Life

Welcome to Day 4 of Calliope's blogging summer camp. Our assignment today is to talk about what has most surprised us about being an adult? What have we learned about ourselves through blogging?

When you are little, you have a very skewed view of what it's like to be an adult. I know I use to think being an adult meant you could do whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted...and, as we've all found out, that is so far from the truth. So, I guess you could say that was the first surprise I had about being an adult...that all this extra responsibility came along with all the freedom.

I was also surprised to find out how much like my mom I turned out to be. I will never forget the day I turned to a kid and I could hear my mother's words coming out of my mouth. It stunned me. Not that what I was saying was anything horrible...but, I just never thought I'd pick up the same phrases and responses the way I did.

I was also very surprised by what I ended up doing with my life. When I was younger, I was convinced I would have some kind of high powered career and just knew I would never, ever want to be a stay at home mom. Here I am, 41 years old, and not only am I not in a high powered career but I'm a stay at home mom and I love my life. I love being able to volunteer in schools. I love my kids knowing I will always be available for them. I can't imagine living my life any other way.

Another thing I've been surprised by is something I learned about myself through blogging. When I was younger, I never thought of myself as a writer. Now, not only do I acknowledge that I am a writer but I also have come to realize I am pretty good at it.

What has surprised you about life as an adult? Do you identify with any of the things I mentioned?

6 comments:

JW Moxie said...

Who the hell told you being a SAHM wasn't a high-powered career? I think it still is - it's just a change of venue.

I'm also surprised at how the things I heard my mom say that I swore I never would have now come slipping effortlessly out of my mouth. Before I could catch myself, I'd told Kaelyn not to look at me in that tone of voice. Sheesh.

carol anne said...

I hadn't thought of it when I was writing my Bloggy Summer Camp blog today but now that I think of it I am absolutely amazed at how much mom was right about when I was a kid.


The older I get the more I find myself speaking and thinking a lot like mom and nanny.

Nikki said...

I didn't even think about that, wow, I am so my mother, and yet incredibly different. How does that work out? Sometimes it's like she's in the room, I sound so similar.

annie said...

Ha!! I said I'd never have kids and here I am...all knocked up!

Quiet Dreams said...

Ah, yes, hearing my mother come out of my mouth. Always a bit of a surprise. :)

St Elsewhere said...

Love the post.

Like I shared on BabySmiling's post, as an adult I realized that saying that good things happen to good people is a myth.

I think I can relate to what you are saying - me as my mom, I don't know, but I do wonder.