Never Have I Ever

Do you recall this drinking game? I played it every other night at college parties and remember doing some really stupid stuff just to get drunk to this game. If you haven’t played this or your memory isn’t serving you well at the moment, this is what you did: Each person at the gathering would pick up their drink and say ‘never have I ever [insert embarrassing secret here]’. If you had indeed done it, you would take a sip of your drink … if you hadn’t you wouldn’t. The idea is you get drunk and you reveal all your embarrassing secrets. Yippee.

I haven’t been the most adventurous child or youth and honestly, the older I get, the less I want to step out of my comfort zone. Even as we speak, I am sitting inside a cozy room as it gets too chilly out into the balcony. I sleep at 10 or 11 on most nights and am up by 7. I avoid going out at night and if at all we do step out, dinner is over by 8 and we’re back home watching TV by 8.15. Having a baby has just made my comfort zone more, well, comfortable. And I want to say to that college girl playing ‘never have I ever’ night after night with the same people: what’s wrong with having a very comfortable comfort zone?

You do what you want in college. And then you work hard in your twenties. At some point, you get really serious about life. And then if you’re like me you build a life that you love and a home that’s cozy and inviting and one you want to escape to by the time you’re around my age (still my early thirties). Now, to that girl I once was I ask this: I have worked too hard to be here, so why should I give it up?

Never have I ever … been so at peace in life. Never have I ever … been so grateful. Never have I ever … felt this happy. I think I’m sufficiently drunk for the night.