Yesterday after church I went downstairs to fellowship, and had this lovely conversation with an elderly gentleman in my church. This story should be prefaced with the fact that it was Tracy's graduation over the weekend, so at fellowship they were doing a little party to celebrate her graduation. We'll call him "M".
"M": Hi dear. So are you in high school yet?
Me: (confused). Actually I am 24 and I am in graduate school. I am Tracy's older sister (said politely, trying to clarify).
M: (looks very confused). Oh my, I thought you were younger. (Long pause.....) But... you aren't married? (said shockingly).
Me: (trying not to say something rude). No, I am not.
M: Shame on you. You know, you have to watch out for your biological clock.
Me: (Had no idea how to respond to this...) Ummmm, ok.
M: Wow, I had no idea you were Tracy's older sister. My oh my.
**M walks away to get his coffee and cake, Jessica is left confused, startled, and speechless.**
End Scene.
SERIOUSLY?!?! Did that really just happen? I had no idea to what even to think at that moment. Up until now, I had known M as a very amiable polite man! He's 87, his wife of 60-something years recently passed away. I guess I have to chalk it up to a generational difference. My pastor thinks that M might be trying to set me up with one of his many eligible grandsons. Who knows...
This encounter got me thinking-- there is no way at this time in history that me being 24 and unmarried and childless is this horrible horrendous thing! Yes, I went to a small private Christian university where many of my friends got marrried shortly after college and are continuing to get married now. Some are even starting to have kids. And when M and his wife were married, shortly after WWII, it was a completely different situation. She was 17 and he had recently returned from the war. People were getting married left and right. And their marriages, for the most part, have lasted 50, 60, 70 years, which is definitely admirable!
The 21st Century is an entirely different climate for women and marriage! I am not angry or upset at M, mostly just suprised (especially since he has apparently thought I was 15 for the last year or so that I have known him, haha!). It's things like this, and clash/discussion between generations of people, that gets me thinking.
Now I should probably end this post because while I have been sitting here the last 15 minutes or so my biological clock has been ticking away and I have been doing nothing about it. :-) (SARCASM, for those of you who weren't sure...)
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You already know this but I will say it. You are exactly who and you are exactly where God wants you to be. I was several (more than a couple but less than a lot) older than you when I had children and look what beautiful, amazing, brilliant, and capable daughters God gave me. So there "M"!
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