Not acting my age

One added benefit of my recent mention in USA Today was the printing of my age, 38.

Many of my friends and colleagues thought that this was a misprint, assuming that I was much closer to thirty than to forty. I had more than half a dozen people ask me about it, and all were shocked to hear that the age was accurate.

While some based their assumption on physical appearance, most referenced my youthful, immature spirit. One friend said, “I never imagined that someone so close to forty could get into so much trouble. I thought for sure that you were much closer to thirty.”

Not exactly a compliment.

Another said that I didn’t come across as very grown up, so it was difficult for her to imagine me being as old as the article indicated.

Again, not a resounding accolade.

But still, I’d rather be perceived as a trouble-making, immature thirty year old rather than a safe, rule-abiding, grown up forty year old.