Death and the downside of life as a child.

Life as a Gen Xer is a constant balancing act. We came up in an era of independence, and now we're navigating career uncertainty, financial pressures, and family responsibilities all at once. Ageism in the workplace makes it harder to move up, and adapting to new tech feels like a never-ending race. Meanwhile, many of us are caught between caring for aging parents while still supporting kids—emotionally and financially. Retirement feels more like a moving target than a plan, especially with debt hanging over us. But if there's one thing Gen Xers do well, it's rolling with the punches and finding a way forward, just like we've always done.

I started out as a farm kid. I love animals. I would sing to semi stray cats to get them to come to me. I didn't know at the time how ruff life is for a farm cat. I never or rarely saw a deceased animal. My Dad who also was a softy, tried his best to protect me from anything sad. He did a great job, but I think that is why I am sitting here at work with tears as I listen to the ladies in the circle meeting in the next room over read a story about farm kitties who did not make it through the night and had to be removed by the little girl narrating the story. I never dealt with the downside or death of animals. Now, I have to deal with all sorts of death and downside. Would it have been easier if I had been exposed as that farm kid. I think it would, I don't blame my Dad he was only protecting me. The farm cats had struggles that I knew nothing about. 

Life feels like that to me now. No one knows the struggles of a Gen Xer, like I didn't know the struggles of a farm cat. I didn't know how tough it could be. It all just seems pretty scary to me. Will I be able to support myself and my family in the years I have left?  How stable is my job, do I need a different one? My body is aging but should I even care.  I've dealt with infidelity, divorce, covid, financial hardships, cancer, mental health issues, death- a lot of death, loss of jobs, quitting jobs that maybe I shouldn't have, buying and selling homes, that maybe I shouldn't have, leaving relationships, that I needed to, but left me feeling lost and out of control. The struggle is real, as they say.