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A 23-Year-Old Force
That is my very sweet, very funny, and optimistic niece
See that picture? That is my very sweet, very funny, and optimistic niece. (I asked her to pose as a boxer for the photo — she's actually one tough cookie.) I won't even try to be objective about my opinion of her, so of course I will tell you that she is a very impressive young person.
First, it's great that she's a grown-up now, because she can take the train from Maryland to NYC on her own. Don't get me wrong, I liked it when she was five years old and she and her sisters chased my mother around the backyard with a caterpillar in their hands. She could also bounce so high on the couch that it looked like she was flying. I used to laugh out loud when she and her twin were nine years old and danced a mock tango in their living room.
But now she's an adult, and that same playful, outgoing kid has made it through some major challenges during her teen years to become an extraordinary person. She is mature — and that's with a capital M! When she came to visit last week, we had a great time together, and I realized my niece is actually my new friend.
I don't know about you, but when I was 23 and lived in Washington, DC, I'd chosen the wrong job, searched for love in all the wrong places, and made my family suffer with a late-bloomer's version of hateful rebellion. The first years after college were difficult because I hadn't found a way to express my creativity, and the gay chick inside was kicking and screaming to come out of the closet.
When I remember who I was at 23 and compare myself to who my niece is now, I am in awe. Basically, at 23, she knows exactly who she is, and that's a person of strong character: a dedicated critical-care nurse, a woman who knows what she wants in a romantic partner, and a thoughtful decision-maker with family issues.
Talk about mature.
Gosh, who were you when you were 23 years old? Do you have someone in your life like my niece? Or, if you're 23 or so, who are you now?
Juliana Luecking, aka Queen Juliana, is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Life & Love.
First, it's great that she's a grown-up now, because she can take the train from Maryland to NYC on her own. Don't get me wrong, I liked it when she was five years old and she and her sisters chased my mother around the backyard with a caterpillar in their hands. She could also bounce so high on the couch that it looked like she was flying. I used to laugh out loud when she and her twin were nine years old and danced a mock tango in their living room.
But now she's an adult, and that same playful, outgoing kid has made it through some major challenges during her teen years to become an extraordinary person. She is mature — and that's with a capital M! When she came to visit last week, we had a great time together, and I realized my niece is actually my new friend.
I don't know about you, but when I was 23 and lived in Washington, DC, I'd chosen the wrong job, searched for love in all the wrong places, and made my family suffer with a late-bloomer's version of hateful rebellion. The first years after college were difficult because I hadn't found a way to express my creativity, and the gay chick inside was kicking and screaming to come out of the closet.
When I remember who I was at 23 and compare myself to who my niece is now, I am in awe. Basically, at 23, she knows exactly who she is, and that's a person of strong character: a dedicated critical-care nurse, a woman who knows what she wants in a romantic partner, and a thoughtful decision-maker with family issues.
Talk about mature.
Gosh, who were you when you were 23 years old? Do you have someone in your life like my niece? Or, if you're 23 or so, who are you now?
Juliana Luecking, aka Queen Juliana, is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Life & Love.
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