I knew I wasn't 20 anymore when they stopped carding me for drinks and started giving me
the senior discount without asking. Talking to 20 somethings is really interesting. I recognize
a lot of the energy and anxiety, but the challenges are notably different. Getting married by a
certain age, or at all, is no longer a given; people work that out a thousand different ways.
Buying a car or even getting a driver's license or learning to drive is highly negotiable. When I
had to take the drivers test three times, I felt like a failure in life, and I dreamed about learning
to drive a manual shift until I did (easily). I think access to college, paying for it, and getting
a job with or without a degree is far different today. As a Vietnam veteran, I feel a solidarity
with today's younger veterans, though I don't think they perceive that connection. I also understand
not having a clear career path, having gotten out of the military in a job slump in teaching and journalism.