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Young Sasha:

Ten years ago, I was you - at parties in my thirties, examining people in their twenties, having many of the same thoughts you are having now.

I would like to say it gets better, but it only becomes more complicated. In ten years, you won't be welcome at those parties because you are too old, but it won't matter because a twenty-year generation gap is less tenable than a ten-year gap. You won't want to be there.

The kids will be talking about your favorite movies or TV shows from your late twenties as though someone should burn every copy and kill everyone who ever enjoyed it. Meanwhile you, already deserving of death because you like "Friends" despite it's lack of representation, will find a host of midlife responsibilities like taking care of aging parents. You'll watch your favorite teachers and mentors deteriorate and find health issues of your own. People you know will have bad luck or rare illnesses or lose a kid to a car accident, and all those kids at parties who think driving without more than three people in a car should be jailed will seem irrelevant- though culture will say they are the ones who will save the world.

So, what's to look forward to? Maybe that you'll care less. Or you'll know yourself a little better. You'll have some money to do things. They say older people can see patterns faster, which I think is true. Life repeating. History repeating. Mistakes repeating. I have greater clarity of thought and a lot less social angst. Almost none.

I now get why old people walk around naked in locker rooms, but I'll never do that. I promise.

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