My next 30 years

Tomorrow’s the big day. The day I’ve not been looking forward to for the past two years. As it’s inched closer, the more reflective I have become.

Tomorrow, I turn 30.

OK, I know it’s just a number. I don’t feel 30, I’ve always prided myself on feeling young at heart. But something about reaching another milestone has caused me to become more introspective and thoughtful the past few weeks. Little things I normally take for granted, I’ve come to appreciate. Which is a good thing, I guess.

I think the reason I’m so apprehensive about turning 30 is because so much happened in my 20s to define who I am today. And much has changed about the world in the past 10 years as well. So, I thought I’d look back at some of the things that have crossed my mind about how much has changed since then.

n April 11, 1998 — Having a cell phone was a privilege, not a common occurrence. Now I know 6-year-olds who have cell phones. I remember 10 years ago having a cell phone that was big, boxy and weighed about five pounds. Now cell phones are as small as a business card.

n April 11, 1998 — If you would have told me 10 years ago that you had an iPod, I would have thought that you had a communicable disease. Now, these handy little gadgets have replaced Walkmen (remember them) and portable CD players as the listening device du jour. I was so proud of my CD collection 10 years ago. Now, I don’t remember the last time I bought a CD.
I’ve “digitized” my entire music library into my iTunes library.

n April 11, 1998 — I was sixth months away from visiting New York for the first time. While there I visited the World Trade Center. Now, the Twin Towers are gone.

n April 11, 1998 — I wasn’t particularly close with my dad, or with any of my other family members, for that matter. I was more interested in girls and “hanging out” than spending time with my family. Now, I have more family than ever, and it drives me nuts that I’m six hours away (at least) and I don’t get to see them very often. So when I attended the Pittsburgh Pirates home opener with my Dad Monday (now an annual tradition), it made me realize how much I cherish the little moments I get with him. Yes Mom, I’m still a momma’s boy — don’t get jealous.

n April 11, 1998 — My circle of friends has almost completely changed. Looking back 10 years ago, faces of my friends swirled through my memory like a cheesy 1980s Journey video. I’ve gone from trying to be avant-garde and spending time in coffee houses with guys playing a guitar with a wrench, to a fraternity brother, to just a normal guy. Some of my friends have hung with me during that period — such as Korn, the best man in my wedding (more on that latter). Now Korn is popping out a little kernel (or, more accurately his wife, Jen, is) and the rest of us are all married and settled down. It seems a long way away from our wild 20s.

n April 11, 1998 — I didn’t have a real girlfriend (Korn, I mean real as in longer than three weeks, not real as in … well you know). Now, 10 years later, I’m happily married to the love of my life and a better man for it. I can’t help but think back to 10 years ago, wondering if I would ever meet the right person. Hoping, praying that I would. Sure, I had to learn a few life lessons along the way and suffer a few broken hearts — but in the end I found love. And it makes me think of the Bible passage said at my (and almost everyone else’s) wedding: 1 Corinthians 1-13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I probably didn’t even know that passage 10 years ago, and I’m glad I didn’t. It wouldn’t have meant as much to me as it does now.

n April 11, 1998 — My beloved Pittsburgh Pirates sucked. April 11, 2008 — The Pirates are even worse.

Well, at least some things never change.

Jeff Say’s friends told him he looked older earlier this week. He will now no longer speak to them. He can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 115 or at .