you know this is just partly autobiographical
What does it mean to be a mid-twenties person nowadays?
You get a job, you stay in that job, you do well, you get promoted, you make a few enemies, you meet some friends for the lifetime, you do your own work, you do other people's work, you do work you've never done before, you learn, you lose some of those learnings, you realize some things you've learned should not have been learned in the first place, you learn of more opportunities outside the company, you quit your job to get another job, you get burned out, you realize it's the same things happening all over again, you stay at your job, you think of other career options, you get the courage to pursue that career or you stay at your job.
You wrap up the work day, you meet your friends, you have dinner, you talk about who is busy doing what, you start texting other friends to join the group, you decide where to go, you settle in a familiar bar or club, you start getting bored, you start drinking a bottle, you start drinking two bottles, you start looking around the room to flirt, you dance a little, you get back to your friends with a joke, you drink your fourth bottle, you dance with your friends, you talk with a stranger, you transfer to another club, you drink more than you've expected, you get drunk, you say something and realize it didn't make sense, you start to slur while flirting, you leave the place, you decide to eat, you sober up with hot food or the morning light, you go home in a dusty cab, you sleep the whole weekend away.
You meet someone, you go out a few times, you have the best sex you've had in years, you find the conversations are interesting, you start to stop looking for other dates, you daydream about exclusively dating this person, you start to become honest with your feelings, you fall deeply in love, you end up being a couple for months or years or you end up having sex and you never see each other again.
You gain a new friend, you lose an old friend, you start rekindling lost connections, you speak with people you've never talked with since high school through online networks, you have a get-together with people you don't remember, you attend a party with people you used to hate, you act like everyone is a buddy from way back, you develop new friendships, you discover why some friendships never materialized, you wonder why it took everyone this long to reunite, you wonder why your closest friends were so far away, you appreciate the deep foundation of the relationships you made, you become a godparent, you say goodbye because of migration, you miss the times when everything seemed simpler and you get back to reality.
You get smarter with every mistake, you fear more about the future, you learn to live and let go, you try to enjoy the moment, you bury pieces of your past, you feel more mature yet even more incapacitated, you start to lose interest in the things you loved before, you hold on to passion as if your life depended on it, you fight the cynicism and jadedness, you listen to self-help speakers and read inspirational quotes, you try to find a meaning for your life and everything that's happening in it, you stay at a standstill, you let the motions move you through the phases, you ride and keep riding and wonder where or what you'll end up next.
You try to enjoy the life you have.
You realize that's about the only thing that matters.
You get a job, you stay in that job, you do well, you get promoted, you make a few enemies, you meet some friends for the lifetime, you do your own work, you do other people's work, you do work you've never done before, you learn, you lose some of those learnings, you realize some things you've learned should not have been learned in the first place, you learn of more opportunities outside the company, you quit your job to get another job, you get burned out, you realize it's the same things happening all over again, you stay at your job, you think of other career options, you get the courage to pursue that career or you stay at your job.
You wrap up the work day, you meet your friends, you have dinner, you talk about who is busy doing what, you start texting other friends to join the group, you decide where to go, you settle in a familiar bar or club, you start getting bored, you start drinking a bottle, you start drinking two bottles, you start looking around the room to flirt, you dance a little, you get back to your friends with a joke, you drink your fourth bottle, you dance with your friends, you talk with a stranger, you transfer to another club, you drink more than you've expected, you get drunk, you say something and realize it didn't make sense, you start to slur while flirting, you leave the place, you decide to eat, you sober up with hot food or the morning light, you go home in a dusty cab, you sleep the whole weekend away.
You meet someone, you go out a few times, you have the best sex you've had in years, you find the conversations are interesting, you start to stop looking for other dates, you daydream about exclusively dating this person, you start to become honest with your feelings, you fall deeply in love, you end up being a couple for months or years or you end up having sex and you never see each other again.
You gain a new friend, you lose an old friend, you start rekindling lost connections, you speak with people you've never talked with since high school through online networks, you have a get-together with people you don't remember, you attend a party with people you used to hate, you act like everyone is a buddy from way back, you develop new friendships, you discover why some friendships never materialized, you wonder why it took everyone this long to reunite, you wonder why your closest friends were so far away, you appreciate the deep foundation of the relationships you made, you become a godparent, you say goodbye because of migration, you miss the times when everything seemed simpler and you get back to reality.
You get smarter with every mistake, you fear more about the future, you learn to live and let go, you try to enjoy the moment, you bury pieces of your past, you feel more mature yet even more incapacitated, you start to lose interest in the things you loved before, you hold on to passion as if your life depended on it, you fight the cynicism and jadedness, you listen to self-help speakers and read inspirational quotes, you try to find a meaning for your life and everything that's happening in it, you stay at a standstill, you let the motions move you through the phases, you ride and keep riding and wonder where or what you'll end up next.
You try to enjoy the life you have.
You realize that's about the only thing that matters.