Are you expecting?

My evening ritual for the night as I wind down my studying found me sitting at my desk logging onto Facebook. As I scrolled down the news feed, I couldn't help but wonder if the other people reading their feeds were thinking the same thing that I was, 2011 has been the year for children. What is the philosophy that has overtaken the world at a whirlwind speed? If one is not married or has not had five children by my ripe old age of 23, we are behind?

I suppose people hit this point in their lives when they are simply ready to have children or perhaps they become pregnant by accident (I love the Italy accident very much). While this post isn't to say having children at a young age is a bad thing, I wonder if these people understand everything they are getting into. Divorce rates are at an all-time high currently and the number of children with mental issues grows as well due to mothers not realizing they are pregnant before it is too late to stop treating their body badly.

All of this makes me wonder, who is really having the time of their lives? Is it the people going the educational route or the young 20ish mother? This makes me think back to when I used to play the game Life with my cousins. I can still remember when Josh and I discovered that game, we would beg our parents to let us go play it at family gatherings or bother the relatives to play with us!

The mission of that game was to succeed at life with whatever was thrown into your path. That exact goal is hopefully what people in my generation think about. I'm not condemning those that become pregnant or get married at a younger age. My real questions stray towards the thoughts of whether they are prepared for everything that will comes their way? If they have prepared, Godspeed ahead my friends. Find that minister and walk down that aisle. I will be by your side every step of the way. Yet if you see a little girl in a cute outfit and think how much fun it would be to have one of those permanently to dress up for the sake of dressing them up, chances are I'll be sitting on the sidelines snickering.

For those of you reading this thinking to yourselves, wow, she's cynical tonight, don't think that. I have plenty of friends in wonderful relationships, and some even have children (that I love to death). But for every one of those relationships, there is another friend I have who throws themselves into random relationships attempting to find that one true love. And it is with that, that I wish those people would realize their worth. For until you have discovered who you are as an individual, how will you discover what piece you will bring in a partnership?

Disclaimer: I watched a lot of my guilty pleasure on TV last night (Toddlers and Tiaras). If you know that show, this post should make sense. :)