The numbers attached to your identity, or being 28, 25, 28

I've been 28 for about two years now. Having always been referred to as an 'old soul' it wasn't very difficult being two years from 30 since I've been 26.

If that statement seems confusing, it is. Follow me here.

Twenty Five seems young, it's the age that brings a lot of uncertainty to a majority of my peers. I fall into this category with everyone else. After all, that's the time when I lost my mind, quit my job and moved to a college town (a life-change justified only by my manager replying to my notice with 'I don't blame you, I would too if I were you'). The following time span usually involves a lot of questions without answers and trying to 'figure it out'. I quickly raced past 'figuring it out' into knowing I wanted to bar tend at the tavern for as long as my feet would hold me.

Yet one year ago, I found myself back at 25. As I turned 27 (I know this is confusing, but it's hard being me) I spent my birthday with the majority of the staff from the tavern singing karaoke at the local last-call dive bar near my own. I was overwhelmed with the amount of people who came to celebrate with me and the mixed emotions that the whole experience already had an expiration date. I knew I was going to be moving back near the home-town but didn't know how or where just yet. I returned to the old stomping grounds to celebrate zombie-Jesus day with my family. My older sister took me out for my birthday that weekend.

"Is anyone else coming?"
"I made a vain (adjective: producing no result; useless.

synonyms:

futile, useless, pointless) attempt to invite a few people, so no. It's just us."

"Is there anything else you want to do?" She seemed surprised but open to whatever my plans were.
"If I could do anything I would check out a bar I might want to work at in Ferndale "
"Let's do it."

I could go into detail about becoming a technician instead of brew-slinger where I had pointed myself, but that's besides the point. After moving back, I was quickly back beyond 25 and well into 28 again as I had my head down towards my new garage appointment.  There were actually many times people had asked my age and I had to really stop and think about it before answering. More often than not it was a stuttered, 'uhh 27?' response that confused even me. In the 'feel like a number' society that we live in, it's hard to know exactly where you stand. Even more confusing can be where you are going. If I can say anything about this age, it's be weary of 28 year olds. We think we know something, at least one thing and yet are just as confused as our three year prior peers.