28 and Pregnant

This is Josh: I’ve learned something from MTV. Time and again, I recently watched as 16 year olds were getting pregnant and their lives were falling apart. The guy wants to go out with friends, the girl has to drop out of high school. There were some bright points in there, and certainly it can work for those who find themselves or their partners young and pregnant. But the general feeling that I get is relief that I was never even close to being in that situation.

The next feeling that I get is the urge to grow up. Sure, I’ve always wanted kids. But isn’t it a lot of work? And responsibility? I have the same feelings that you see in countless movies, where a guy has to suddenly grow up and be responsible because he has no other choice.

But then I think, jeez, I don’t even have to grow up, because I already did. Somewhere between spring break in Cancun and parties til dawn… and bedtime at 11:30 and listening to NPR on the way to work – I grew up. So it’s not even a problem anymore. Before I watched “16 and Pregnant”, I always thought about Seinfeld, and Sex and the City (only saw two shows of that, but I caught onto the premise), and how I’m “only 28”. But watching 16 year olds on TV, my overriding thought is “Man, I’m 12 years older than these kids”.

So, let’s dive into the unknown. Let’s try a new high, one with bright eyes and soft cheeks and googoogaagaas. I’ve seen friends have kids and it looks like fun. Witnessing a little speck grow into a baby and then a little human, I can’t imagine the wondrous feelings that come with that. And I can always take comfort in the fact that there’s still well over a decade before that beautiful baby turns into a nasty teenager. - Josh