I’m proud to be Gen X – or more precisely, a Xennial, born in 1979.
Over the weekend, an old high school friend stayed overnight at my house. Catching up was such a joy. She remembered every escapade and classmate I’d half-forgotten. We also went to college together, but life took us in different directions for years. Sitting across from her again felt both brand new and like no time had passed.
There’s something so grounding about reconnecting with someone who knew you before adulthood. Somehow, being with someone from those days makes it seem like nothing has changed, even though everything has.
The Little Things I’d Forgotten
Talking with her brought back all kinds of little details about what it was like growing up when we did.
We navigated life with printed directions and folding atlases before GPS became standard. I remember counting cell phone minutes, using calling cards for long-distance, and having landlines in our dorm rooms.
When I left the house, my parents couldn’t track my steps or drop a pin to find me. I was handed a quarter “just in case” I needed to call home—but that only worked if someone was actually there to answer.
Now I laugh at how anxious I feel if I accidentally leave my cell phone behind, even for a quick twenty-minute errand.
How did I once leave the house for an entire day with no way for anyone to reach me—and now feel strangely exposed without a phone in my purse?
Our conversation also reminded me of something bigger.
She knew me before I was a wife or a mom. Before mortgages and school schedules and all the responsibilities that slowly become normal in adulthood.
We reminisced about ridiculous things we’d done and people I hadn’t thought about in years. And for a little while, I could almost see that younger version of myself again.
I don’t necessarily think growing up Gen X made us tougher or better prepared for midlife than anyone else. Every generation has its own version of change, uncertainty and nostalgia.
But I do think there’s something powerful about reaching this age and reconnecting with someone who remembers where you started.
My childhood looked very different from my life now. The world looks different too.
But somewhere between the folding atlas and the GPS, the landline and the smartphone, that younger version of me didn’t disappear.
She’s just considerably more tired now.
💌 Subscribe below for honest, real-life stories about parenting, midlife, and finding humor in the chaos.
You May Also Enjoy
Leave a Reply