Acting my age

Being nine years younger than my next oldest sister, people have mistaken my age for quite some time. Perhaps I spent more time with older people and adults and therefore people thought I acted older or maybe it just made more sense to them that I would be closer in age to her. That all seemed like reasonable explanations when I was a teenager, when it was a compliment for people to think I was older. I'm not certain I still feel the same way about it.

Over lunch today, one of my co-workers commented that my parents were young, when I told her that they were 61 and 66. Granted that's not ancient but people are usually surprised that my parents are in their 60s, when I am in my 20s. I looked at her a little strange and then she asked bewildered, "How old are you?" She was astonished that I was "only 26."

This has led me to question if I act my age. Does my social life resemble that of a middle-aged woman, rather than someone who is expected to be out partying? Or do I just interact with people who are older than me? Or goodness, could I LOOK older? EEK! Maybe it's my husband. Afterall, his family tells him that he is the youngest old man they know.

Regardless, I'm OK with it. I suppose it will bother me when I'm 40 and someone thinks I'm 55 but for now, I'll celebrate. I'll keep telling myself that I interact well with people of all ages, including those older than me and that I haven't missed some wild and crazy time that I'm supposed to be having now. I'm enjoying my social life, my family, and my friends and that's what is important.