Yesterday we got a moving announcement in the mail. We are starting to get more of those lately. They are different than the ones we got when we were just starting our family, when we were just starting to be entrenched in the First Half of Adulting. The ones we got back then were clearly because our friends were moving to different cities and states to climb in their careers or moving to bigger homes with bigger yards to accommodate their growing families. The new variety, the Second Half of Adulting moving announcements appear to be more of the downsizing variety. Recently my husband’s friend suggested he and his wife were starting to look at townhomes and condos now that their youngest had headed to college. We even have friends looking at 55+ communities. It’s the subtle little things like this that start to show you that you are shifting into your Second Half. They kind of take you by surprise, but also make you think and reflect. In the First Half of Adulting, you start hearing about people getting engaged, you go to wedding after wedding and then the baby announcements start appearing in the mail. These little announcements, perk your attention, make you wonder about what you are doing in your own life and to reflect on your own choices. So now, in this Second Half of Adulting, the pricks of attention are coming in different forms of announcements. What would it feel like to be less encumbered? It’s almost like getting another blank page to start creating all over again, but with a whole different set of parameters.
Life is kind of like a bell curve. In the First Half of Adulting, you build, build, build, climb, climb, climb, and now it appears that this Second Half of Adulting is going to be more about releasing and letting go of all of that “build and climb.” My family has always enjoyed hiking and of course, going down the mountain is always the easier part of the hike. I’m hoping that holds true in life. No matter what though, I’m curious and I’m up for the adventure.