My 2000’s
Posted by John on 1st January 2010
It’s the end of the decade, the one that turned my life around completely. It makes sense since it’s about my 20’s-30’s, the time when we grow from young men (or simply boys) to adults, from single to family man, at least for some people.
It all started just before the decade started, in 1999. I met the most important person in my life, the one that changed my life for the better: my wife Becky. Before her I was an aimless young man, not knowing what to do with my life. It’s thanks to her that I had a direction in life, that I had a goal in life, instead of just wandering through it.
1999 was also the year I left Italy. I went to Taiwan, UK and finally Shanghai. I wished I didn’t have to leave Italy, with all my friends and family. That was a big loss for me, I was comfortable there. Maybe too comfortable, which is why it was probably good for me to leave. It shook me up a little.
I traveled a little, I learned a few things about people in the rest of the world. I also learned a few things about myself. All of this would not have been possible without the support of my parents, so I’ll always be grateful for that. They allowed me to start my own life, which I can only imagine it wasn’t easy for them to do. It’s also not something I should take for granted, even though at the time I was just focused on myself. 10 years helped me get a different perspective on things.
Once I made it over here in Shanghai, I really started my own life. A good stable job in a new country, in a new apartment, with new colleagues and friends. Getting married was the logical next step. Those first few years of marriage felt great. We traveled a lot, this time with my own money (so I didn’t feel guilty about spending my parents money), with my new wonderful wife. I felt so free during those vacations.
But 2 years of that was enough for us, it was time for the next step. It’s not that we didn’t enjoy out life together, but it just felt natural for us to want kids. I don’t think it was any societal pressure either, I never really cared about what “society” thinks about me. It just came from us.
Logan’s birth has again changed my life, literally. Seeing him grow up so quickly in these years has been amazing, from the little baby that I would hold whenever I could, to the little boy that’s now in kindergarten.
Mia’s arrival just made the picture even more complete. Of course I was happy to have a boy and a girl, but the main reason for me was to give Logan a sibling. Everybody should have a sibling, it’s you first friend in life.
I have now a comfortable life, with a great family to go back to every night. I really feel I accomplished something, I started something in my life. It hasn’t always been good obviously, but the bad makes me appreciate the good even more. This is only the beginning though, I can’t wait for the rest of it.
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