July01

Garrett is 25. Wait, 25!?!

It's July 1. Which means several things. The year is essentially half-way over. The weather in Arkansas and Missouri is disgustingly hot. And, most importantly, it's the beginning of my birthday month! (And my mom's and my brother's.)

Actually, the most important tidbit about today is that my brother is turning 25! To those counting at home, that's one quarter of a century. Which, sadly, means that I'll be turning 34 soon (more on that in the coming weeks).

From what I remember, and what we older people joke about all the time, 25 is the last "major" milestone birthday for a young person. Voting? Bah. Drinking? Bah. Now you can rent a car. And by car I mean one of 17 PT Cruisers that the rental car company won't ever be able to get rid of.

For me, turning 25 was a time of shifting and shuffling. Everything that I thought was right just a few years earlier was beginning to vary. To a kid who's still not past his mid 20s, that's not just an odd thing. It could be ground-shaking. I think I made it out okay, some bumps and bruises, but okay.

Becoming older is now something I look forward to. Not for the extra sore legs after a workout. Not for the stronger headaches after drinking the night before. But because I get to reflect on how, or why, my ideals have shifted. I have a chance to look at how I got to where I am today. I learn from what I did in the past. Hopefully, when I do this, I become smarter.

I think 25 is a fun time. You're not so fresh and inexperienced to living life on your own anymore. But you're not too old to feel like you don't have time left to accomplish anything. This is my worst-kept secret, but I usually don't take too many people seriously until they're over 25.

This isn't meant as a dig on the less-than-25s. It's just been my observation that life can change quite a bit from age 18 to 25. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad. 100% of the time it's called life.

To be honest with you, I'm about to turn 34 and I'm still trying to figure things out. It's a work in progress. And I bet there's a 40-something out there saying the same "I don't take 34 year olds serious" thing about me.

But back to my brother. Today is his day and I love the snot out of him. In fact, if I could squeeze the snot out of him, I would – but he's got a good 50 pounds on me and could literally squish me with his pinky.

Garrett, today you're 25. You're well beyond the voting and drinking milestones. It now means you can rent a car! But becoming 25 also means that you still have a lot of life yet to figure out. And while that might be a scary feeling, it's also a wonderful feeling. A free feeling. My advice is to not shy from it. Instad, go live it.

If you need me and all of my vast amazing experience at living (yes, that was extreme sarcasm), then I'm here for you. All you have to do is make the bold decision to look me in the eye and say,

"Seth, I've been wrong since I turned 18. I love PT Cruisers. Maybe more than life itself. They're so slightly curvy and stylish that it makes me weep. It's a car from the past in our present! I find the head divot in the ceiling to be the most forward-looking design element of the 2000s, not iPods. If I could create a bed from a PT Cruiser and put it in my room, then I would. I would name it Cherry. Or maybe Sweet Cherry. I would have picnics on it and watch re-runs of Perfect Strangers. It would be the world's most perfect car bed. Then I would drive it into the country and into a lake because I've also made this the world's only submarine PT Cruiser. No periscope needed because it has an in-dash 6 disc CD changer. My Cherry (or Sweet Cherry) would stay by my side forever. Like a sword. Or revolver. We would finish each other's sentences. And snuggle at night. For this is the perfect car. And, it is my solemn duty to pledge that if I am never able to find my Cherry (or Sweet Cherry) in my lifetime, I will always request a PT Cruiser any time I ever require a rental car. This oath I swear for the rest of my life."

Then, and only then, will I be willing to give you the advice you crave. Man up.

I love you Garrett. Happy Birthday!

+ original post date: July 1, 2011 07:30 AM
+ categories: Family/Friends