I’m counting down to the bitter-sweet (mostly sweet for the obvious “I’m alive” reasons) big day: my 30th. I have no plans for the milestone even though I’ve been talking about turning 30 since I turned 29.
I have spent many hours over the past few months thinking back to my youth and trying to recall the things that have shaped my life. What I have found is that I have a terrible memory. The worst. I suffer from what my dad used to call CRS – “can’t remember s___”. And what I do remember I have to run past my bothers to make sure I’m not making it up or that it really happened to me and not one of them. Luckily I have just enough memories to prove that I lived for the last three decades.
Well, I was born by the river, in a little tent. And just like the river… wait that’s Sam Cooke’s life. Me, I was born in the Florida Keys and I lived as a military brat for years. In those days we played. We played in the streets, the yards, the sidewalks, the pools, you name it. We played baseball, football, tetherball, t-ball, soccer, and any other outdoor sport you can think of. We played almost non-stop. We didn’t think about our safety, and to be honest I don’t think my parents did either. Not necessarily because they were bad parents, but because they didn’t have to. It was a different time and place. At Dev’s age we I was very mobile.
Now I’m pushing 30 and I’m playing with my boy as much as I can, and working. Work, work, work. I think I’m going to play more in my thirties.
Hey, I didn’t know you were a military brat! I am too. My dad was in the Air Force.
But anyway, congrats on turning 30. Every birthday is a good one, isn’t it? As the old joke goes, it sure beats the alternative (smile). Or like my 91 year old granddad likes to say, you’d better hope you live to get old (LOL).
@Lori: Every birthday is definitely a good one. As black men, we definitely need to appreciate this more than others.
@African American Dad: Don’t sweat 30. I have been there for 1.5 years and it has been a blast. Look at it this way, you’re a year wiser. You have done more and know more and thus, have more potential. Good luck, God speed and do good for your child.
Sooo – when is the big day?
You’re right, although I’m only 27 – I can agree with you. Times are surely different from the days of the early 80’s. Keep doing your thing with Dev – he needs that!
Things definitely changed for me when I turned 30. It could be because that’s the year my first daughter was born. But I think it goes beyond that. I started viewing the world differently. I stopped feeling like mostly kid and at least partly man. It’s not a feeling that’s easy to explain but it was satisfying.
I hope your 30th is the bomb-diggity!
Hey, happy late birthday man! The 30’s are nice, nothing to be afraid of.