Teenage Insecurity
25 Feb
So while I was walking the dog today, I spied a tiny teenager wearing a barely there coat and not wearing a hat. I felt stupid for a moment, wearing my North Face zipped up to my chin and with its furry hood pulled up over my noggin. I thought about how old and silly I must look..like the older people who wear winter coats well into spring or turtlenecks with kitties on it. After she passed, I pulled my hood down for a moment and caught a sharp wind on my ears. It was cold! Sure it’s wasn’t bitterly cold, but that hood made my walk far more comfortable. I bet little miss skinny jeans was dressed like that because she would have felt silly all bundled up. It got me thinking about how painfully insecure teenagers are. How insecure I was well into my 20’s. Every move you make and every word that comes our of your mouth feels awkward. You’re constantly seeking approval, feeling inadequate and just waiting for the day when you can finally ‘grow up.’ Or was this just me?
At any rate, clearly I am now the neighborhood woolly mammoth – walking my dog with a tiny bag of poop in my hand. And not giving a damn about how I look in my cloud pjs when I get the mail or when I talk to myself at the supermarket.
Two blocks later I was coming upon a trio of teens walking in the middle of the street. Just before I could finish thinking, God just look at how hard that kid is trying, I tripped on a raised sidewalk. Right in front of them. Overcome with embarrassment, I tried to carry on and pretend it didn’t happen. But I landed on my damn ankle the wrong way and kind of twisted it. So I hobbled my old ass home, a little more aware of the fact that we all have a little teenage insecurity hanging behind. Unless you’re this guy. It must die down somewhere around 70.
I don’t miss the teenage years. And I think people look better wrapped up. More mysterious
Amen Andy!
The boys never wear coats. And it took me two years to figure that out and not buy them any (which does save some $$).
I was just saying the other day to my neighbor that you could not pay me enough money to re-live those HS years.
And I’m only slightly more confident than I was back then.
You are so right about all those silly insecurities – just when you think you are a grown up, they creep up and bite you on the backside; but I’m with you on being warm and comfortable vs freezing cold – though when my kids tell me “Mum, sweat pants tell the world you don’t care – please put on real clothes.” I do, but only because I remember how embarassing it was having a mother you wore mini skirts long after she should have done!