Generational Gap

Before I left for my spontaneous weekend at home, I told my co workers where I was going and why.  As soon as I got back, I was pelted with questions about the baby and some general questions about my family (keep in mind I've barely been there two weeks).  I happen to work with two older women, about my mom's age, and a younger guy about mine.  One of the women asked if getting married and having kids was on my bucket list. I kind of shrugged my shoulders and said I was indifferent.  If it happened, it happened.  If it didn't, it didn't.  They both drew in their breath and had that look on their face.  You know the look I'm talking about.  It's the same look Mom gets when she completely disagrees with a decision I make.  I suddenly felt really uncomfortable and a little less like a person.  

Maybe I just had really good parents, but I was never led to believe that my life would ever be wrapped around a man.  I was never told that I had to be married when I was 20 and my first kid by 21.  The only thing I was told is that I was going to college.  On this, I had no choice.  I'm not saying people who do get married at an early age are wrong, just that it was never on my agenda.  Do I see myself getting married?  I dunno.  I don't see myself spending the rest of my life alone.  But getting married?  That's a huge thing.  It's not something that is to be taken lightly.  

Most of my friends are the same way.  Sure, many would like to get married and have kids, but most want to go to college, travel, make stupid decisions, and have a career first.  Both of the women I work with, got married, had kids, then had a career.  My mom was the same way.  She went back to school when I was in kindergarten and started working when I was in third grade.  This is such a foreign idea to me.  If I had a child at 21, they would probably already be in juvenile detention, smoking 3 packs a day.

If I was one of those really cool people I would have looked up all sorts of stats about how there are more women in the workplace, more are getting married and having babies later, and more and more women are becoming the primary breadwinners in the family.  But I'm not.  I just wonder when this shift happened and why.  I'm also grateful that I have really cool parents who are completely supportive and don't care if I get married OR have babies.  

Sorry about the rambling, but I just couldn't get this conversation out of my mind.