Grown Up Stuff
Now that I’m not a kid anymore (I know, I had to face it) I’ve started to notice new things in my life. Grown up stuff.
I’m not talking about rent or bills or a job with benefits or anything like that. There are other things that have made me realise it. Things that I never even thought about in the past.
I’ve been privilaged enough to have the opportunity to vote for the last 10 years. And I have, but this year it really hit me that it’s a big thing as Toronto went through its municipal elections. On the night of the election I was hanging out with a decidedly left leaning group of tweeps at #Tweetgasm and behind the bar in the room we had CP24 on the TV. Eyes took turns being glued to the screen as we waited for 8 o’clock and the start of the results. And jaws dropped at approximately 8:08 pm when Rob Ford was declared the winner of the mayoral race. For the first time I shared that experience with other people. And for the first time I saw a big result that nobody in the room seemed happy about at all. I was in a crowded room at karaoke the night that President Obama was elected – and there was jubilation – but it certainly wasn’t the same as this October. It was a very adult feeling, standing there and wondering what the results were going to mean for the city and for the people.
Not too long ago a friend also asked me for my point of view on something that ended up being so big that I talked to my mom about it later on. It wasn’t relationship or job or family advice. It was how I felt about living my life based on my known beliefs. There was nothing invasive about it. And there is nothing that needs to be shared in detail. But I had a good answer (which is rare sometimes) and I was comfortable sharing it in context and time. I was able to try to make things a little bit clearer for someone looking for an answer to a question that seemed big to them. That was big for me. Never in my life had I ever thought that I would be the person that someone came to for advice about life and God. That’s my mom’s gig. It’s a grown up thing. People don’t ask kids those kinds of questions.
The whole Mission: New Joshua has made me feel a lot more grown up as well. It’s a process, let’s not assume that I’ve made a bunch of overnight changes that have rocked my world. But I’m trying. I want to be a better me, a happier me and a more satisfied me. I’m not here just to wander through life and see what happens anymore. I know that there are things that I can’t force or expect or rush – but there are ways that I can be ready and take care of myself while I wait to see what life might have in store for me.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Movember. I’m starting to realize more and more just how important it is to be involved and to give back whenever possible. I was always in the clubs and groups and fundraising campaigns when I was in High School – but it never really resonated the way that it does now. I know that I can make a difference and that I can help others make a difference as well. I won’t be preachy about it, I promise – but I might harass the shit out of you for the next month as I try to help raise money and awareness for Prostate Cancer Research in Canada. Check out my MoSpace for info and daily photo updates as well as the Movember Journal posts that will be here in the blog – yesterday was post 1 and there is a Movember category in the drop down menu now.
Here’s a look at the day 3 photo update:
I’m not sure if I’m all the way ready to be a grown up, but it certainly does seem that there’s a lot of grown up stuff going on – and I’m right in the middle of it. I better get my self ready because I have a feeling that it’s not going anywhere.
Stay awesome kids –
creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.
