So the other day my sister, her husband and her kids were getting ready to go out of town. They had packed, loaded up the truck, and we were all just sitting around talking and laughing while they finished getting ready to leave.
My sister has two teenagers, one preteen, and the baby of their family who just recently hit double digits in her birthday celebrations. They are a loud and rambunctious bunch that I just adore. And there we were, when all of the sudden my brother in law came out of the room, having just changed from shorts and chanclas to blue jeans, a collared shirt, sneakers, and a cap.
The following conversation ensued and I just couldn’t help but giggling inside (like a school girl):
My eldest niece: Why is daddy all dressed up?
My youngest nephew: I don’t know… mommy was putting makeup on earlier?
It was past midnight when all of this conversation took place.
My eldest niece: What the heck? Mom was putting on makeup? “Ma! Why were you putting on makeup? Where are we going, to a gala or something?”
My eldest nephew: I don’t know they’re weird.
Then all four of them, plus Edgar, busted out in laughter.
Two things struck me right then. One, the generational differences between our generation and theirs are so apparent that they even show up in the minutest of situations, like how we get ready to go out of town. My nieces and nephews would have been perfectly comfortable traveling in their pajamas! We, the adults, don’t do that of course! Not normally anyway. There’s a sense of personal pride in putting your best foot forward by trying to look presentable in every situation. ¿Apoco no?
And two, that we are all old enough to not fully understand what it really means to “just be chilling.”
Pero you know what? I think I’m okay with that.
