I don’t know any songs about turning 24

What is this transitory excuse of an age

(This story was originally written during my birthday week, the first week of August 2023. I don’t know why I’m only just publishing it now.)

Disclaimer: While writing this I immediately looked up “songs about being 24 years old” and I’m listening to them know, starting with Ice Cube’s “It Was A Good Day”.

Typically during the annual occurrence of the turning of my age (aka my birthday), I get melancholic and reflective. Which is what I anticipated for this year, and ironically was something that didn’t happen. So last week when I turned 24, I went about my birthday differently than any other ones in the recent years; I took a day off, went out all day, had some good food… with no anxious thoughts.

Later that night my dad asked me what it felt like, being 24. I said it felt good. I confessed to him I didn’t have much thoughts running around my head all day and just had a nice time.

Before, I had never considered 24 as a milestone age. I heard people preach about the things that might come when you’re 20, 21, 22, and even 23. But I think of 24 and my mind is blank.

I’m thinking now maybe that’s why I don’t have much thoughts on it, because there were little to no expectations indoctrinated into my brain about this age. (This thought actually just came to me now in real time.)

I figured I’m tired of waiting for some form of transcendence to come to my being during milestones in my life. A milestone is just an inscribed stone, like the ones on the side of the road. Stone says, You are here, this is how far you’ve come. I stand for a bit, taking the moment in, and say “That’s great. Thanks for letting me know, oh written stone.”

And then I keep walking.