Watching people grow up

Perhaps it is age, more than likely it is absolutely age, but I have been thinking about watching people (besides my children) grow up.

Watching my brother’s kids grow up is pretty special because I have a relationship with them.  They are moving into the college years and are coming into themselves as young adults.  It is pretty great to see who they have become.

We went to a 40th birthday party a few weekends ago in the Bahamas at one of the most incredible spots on Harbor Island.  I have known a few of the people at the party for over a decade now.  Watching them find themselves in their 30’s, including getting married and then having kids is really amazing.

The trip we took to Asia was with friends we have known for 25 years and so we have both watched each other grow up too.

These days the world seems to be so crazy and fragile, that focusing on friends, family and those relationships and that even includes the founders I have invested in where I have been part of their lives for years, is something that I am enjoying now more than ever.

Maybe I am finally just taking more time out to smell the roses.

Comments (Archived):

  1. LE

    I guess the most surprising ‘growing up’ thing I can think of is with an incident involving my ex sister in law and brother in law. When we met they were early 20’s let’s say and quite immature or at least not anything like I remember my aunts being when I grew up. (All serious all the time pretty much). So my ex sister in law and brother and law go into our refrigerator one day and take out a brand new small container of Hagen Daz ice cream and proceed to open it and dig into it with spoons right in front of me knowing it would piss me off. [1] [2] So at the time I thought ‘wow they haven’t grown up I can’t imagine my aunts doing this in my mom’s kitchen’. They had these big ‘we know this is killing you’ smiles on their faces as they were doing it.Guess what? They really didn’t change over time. They are basically the same people. What was interesting was the way I compared them to what I knew and just figured they needed some time to get that type of behavior out of their system and that they would grow up. (Both have responsible jobs by the way my ex brother in law worked at Apple in sales, my ex sister in law inherited a nice family business.My kids on the other hand and my nieces and even my stepkids exactly what you are saying. Fascinating experience to see them change over time as they get older![1] Germs and just not what you do.[2] That was back when I could eat that type of thing with reckless abandon..

    1. Sarah

      Great ice cream eating example. I know a few people who would be compatible roommates for those two.Watching kids (especially those related to you) transition into their early adult years is ridiculously satisfying. When I was a kid, it drove me crazy to hear the extended family making similar observations & I am trying to be subtle more with mine. My predictions are running at 85% accuracy – the surprises are sweet too. I enjoy seeing the characteristics that stay consistent over the decades and how many peel away with maturity/growth/experience. Now, I get it. It is one of the benefits of aging and riding the waves of perspective that come along. Am less annoyed when I hear the aunties clucking through a wedding about how the marriage will play out.

  2. awaldstein

    My older brother over a glass of wine a while back told me:”I feel great, though I looked at myself in the mirror the other day and wondered who that old guy was”That is the truth of life as I see it as well.

    1. Gotham Gal

      Every morning in the mirror….

      1. awaldstein

        Ha!