Last night during my 8-10 year old ballet class, one of my precious girls responded to some question that I had asked with, “Because you’re older…” I have no recollection of where that came from, and I know she wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. It became even funnier a few minutes later when I was encouraging them to go home and practice what we had learned so that they could help me remember next week. The same girl responded again with, “Because you’re older…” and we all had a big laugh.

My friend Emily just posted on her blog her list of things that make her realize she’s getting older. They are a bit different from mine, but the realization is coming just as quickly for me. For example, she has a dog (I’m really not a pet person) and will be celebrating 8 years with her husband this May (as you know, I haven’t even hit the 8 months mark yet). We are both in process of preparing for our 10 year high school reunion… which, yes, is very weird. We both own a home, cars, have to balance housework with errands, jobs, paying bills, planning meals and going grocery shopping… and the list can go on and on. I have to keep up with changing air filters and spraying the house for bugs (ok, that’s really Tony’s job around the house, but I help “remind” him). We have to be more responsible with purchases… just last weekend we thought we’d check out some new couches for the living room - you know, just beging pricing and seeing what’s out there. Yeah, nothing in our budget right now, so we’ll keep lounging on our 20 year old hand-me-down furniture quite happily. We did immediately fall in love with a piece of artwork in the furniture store. I think we sat and gazed at it for 15 -20 minutes, trying to figure out where we could hang it. Unfortunately, because of my love of art, I already have several pieces occupying my walls, so there just isn’t a place for it. We even toyed with the idea of purchasing it and keeping it in storage until we get a bigger house (at least 5 years down the road, F.Y.I.). It was difficult to walk away, but we had to make an ADULT decision. I take a disappointed deep breath even now as I think of how wonderful it was and how perfectly the colors fit our home. Ahh… responsibility.

And, I have now officially become someone’s “In case of emergency” person. I’m honored, and realize yet again that it’s “because I’m older.” My dear friend Ruth informed me that during a doctor’s visit with her youngest, Madie, she completed that section of her doctor’s form with my name and information. Ahh… responsibility. I feel very priviledged to be that person in the Meyer family. I gladly accept.

So although Emily ended her list with the acknowledgement that the Karate Kid (a favorite movie of hers while growing up) is now a classic played on AMC… I might choose to end my list with the fact that the Cosby Show, Full House, Saved by the Bell, and Home Improvement are now the old reruns on Nick At Nite. Ahh… the good old days. What fun to look back, and what excitement for all that’s still ahead that will come “because I’m older…”