Lauren Lejeune

I’ve been feeling a little old lately. 

My right knee gives me a little trouble in the cold, I’m in bed by nine most nights. I haven’t found any grays yet, but that could just be from the hair dye (this is not a dig at those who rock the silver, please forgive me). 

It's not just the few small physical things that’ve put aging on my radar, but seeing how much my little brother has grown up just in the last year alone is really making me feel the heat. He’ll be 15 this coming January and he has no problem telling anyone who will listen to him long enough that he is taller than me. Which I’ve made sure to remind him that his goal he’s achieved is not hard when I’m only a few inches over 5 feet. But it keeps him going. 

What’s really got me feeling old is the fact that he just had his first high school wrestling tournament. High school and Jayce, two words that feel funny in my mouth when I think of the baby of our family. I was just looking at some photos of him from when he was a tot and I must admit he was pretty darn cute, not the tall, fuzz mustache and sassy teenager who has infiltrated my parents home. 

When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to manage the wrestling team. I did it all four years, going to all of the tournaments and keeping score in the books, buying snacks for the team and mopping mats. There were usually a couple other girls, I even got to do it for two years with my cousin Brooklynn, her brother Colby also was a wrestler. It was one big family affair.

Now, watching the tournament from the stands, I was overwhelmed with a powerful sense of deja vu, except now I was the spectator and Jayce was living it out. 

I’ve always loved watching him in his activities, whether it's rodeo, wrestling and back in the day even some baseball. I think it means something different to me now, because this was something I was part of in my high school years. It’s rewarding in its own way, watching Jayce and his friends who were once tiny little USA wrestlers now step out onto the mat as young men. 

Going to this tournament also reminded me that this May, I will have graduated five years ago, which feels impossible that time has moved so quickly. Growing up, everyone always tells you that the older you get, the faster time flies. I wish they were lying. And while I’ve been blessed with so many opportunities and new experiences these last couple of years, I’ve decided my New Year's resolution for 2025 is to slow down — to really be truly intentional with my time. Maybe things will slow down just a bit if I can do that.

I doubt it, but it sure does sound good. For now, I’ll do my best to be my brother's number one fan. And check for grays in the mirror.