Since I've turned 25, the strangest thing has happened. I've been giving advice to my parents - sensing when things aren't quite right, really listening to their problems, feeling like we've reached a level where we're both adults. Not just blabbing on and on about my own life, my middling problems, my inability to grow up, to change, to be an actual adult. But in my own way, I am becoming an actual adult. Slowly, I'm maturing. My maturation has been very strange all my life. My body matured far faster than for what I was prepared - a cruel folly by nature. Socially and mentally, not as fast. I've always felt a little behind my age - like I really should still be in college instead of being half a century.

But talking with my mother tonight - probing when she brushed off my initial inquiry, knowing that she wasn't quite herself (she didn't sound as chipper or as open), then she finally came clean about what was bothering her and we talked about it. It felt good to have her open up to me because for the longest time I've felt like I as taking advantage of our relationship, although she would never say she was sick of hearing me whine and cry. It's a "mother's job" apparently.

Point of the story is, I like where my life is going now. Small steps.