Turning 26

Today's my 26th birthday.  I know a lot of people who had a real problem with 25- it didn't bug me.  26 does give me pause for thought, however. 

I've reached the top of the "Twenties" hill, so to speak, and now I'm headed down the other side.  I'm officially closer to thirty than I am to twenty.  I'm not freaked out about getting older- I'm well aware that at 26 I'm still a youngin' (not to mention that I look younger than I am and I'll probably continue to get carded at bars well into my third decade) and from everything I've heard, I think I'll enjoy my thirties much more than than the ten years that precede it. 

The mini-panic attack that results from 'the big two-six' is the fear that I'm not living up to my potential, and worrying that I'm taking too long finding myself and my calling.  Shouldn't I have a much longer list of accomplishments at this point?  But then, who's to say what I 'should' have accomplished by 26?

I joined a ning group called 20something bloggers recently and it's been really helpful following some of the discussions there and reading the blogs of other group members.  It really helps to realize that there is a whole generation of people struggling with the questions that are hovering in the back of my mind today.

Well, I smell cake, so I'm going to finish this up and pursue the source of the scent.  I'm going to give myself a pass on racking up major life accomplishments until at least tomorrow morning.