19/1/16

It's begun.

Alright I might as well get the tale of events out of the way first before breaking down into sociological debate this time. So firstly, life is going smoother than usual with the imminent cruise getting closer and closer. I did manage to snag a shift thanks to a very courteous manager however I was unable to book her passage on the cruise to surprise her boyfriend and it was very tempting to sacrifice my place to allow her this. It would be the single most selfless thing I'd have done in a very long time... well I would get my money back and spend it on an air-conditioner or paintball gun so perhaps not entirely selfless. But in the end we reached a compromise and I will still be attending the cruise though I do feel a pang of pity for her the poor thing. I will definitely be getting her a gift.

Other than that I've had my fair shares of social lunchs which have been very grand! Said happy birthday to that girl I obsessed over in the past in the most unique way (got to love photoshop) and had some good alone time to think and relax. So then, onto the big news; the first of my friends in the inner circle has just gotten engaged, sure I know of plenty more who have but I wouldn't consider them close enough to go balls deep into congratulatory praise. Still though it really does mark the beginning of the next chapter in her life but also in everyone around her that are to hopefully meet the same fate. Though some people may think that a year of knowing each other is too soon they do forget to think about cultural and religious differences in relation to marriage. Why I bring this up is because within a year or two I'm expecting news of pregnancy and this is going to prove to be very interesting. On an unfortunate side note, we (being the friends outside her family and cultural circle) will not be getting an invite to the wedding. I find it sad that even in marriage, her culture and family mandate what decisions she's allowed to make but I'm not to judge, I don't make the rules I just have to respect them. Hopefully we'll do something anyway with just us but if not then oh well.

So that's the nitty gritty of it all, onto the sociological thoughts of the night.
On the topic of entering the next chapter of life I finally begin to realise why we metaphorically call our phases of life chapters and we state that we are an "open or closed book". We all have a story to tell in life but perhaps thanks to our biology and culture that it can be arranged into chapters. The chapters could be labelled through each decade we live. From being a child, teenager, young adult and so on with defining moments in each. For example learning to use the bathroom in the first chapter, puberty for the second, marriage and children in the third, forth or/and fifth then retirement in the sixth to eighth. But perhaps the chapters could be more narrower with each event detailing the beginning the next chapter. Who knows really but it's food for thought in the grand scheme of life. So what does this have to do with anything? I feel as if now that I'm 20 I have reached the next chapter of witnessing the beginnings of new concepts we didn't think would come for a very long time. Marriage being the big one but also people finishing university and apprenticeships heading into full time work. Then it will be more people moving out of home and starting families. A truly remarkable era but also one that can be daunting... the teenager years are behind us and we are gradually getting closer to the end of our route. Better that we make the most of it while we still can!