Now versus Then

I've been thinking lately of how foolish I was in my twenties (and I wonder how foolish I will see my thirties as). Tolga calls the difference experience, and I suppose he's right. But, I truly felt I couldn't relate with my peers in my 20s because I was living a different life. I had responsibilities and commitments. But I look at it now and realize I didn't have a mortgage or really anything of financial consequence. I wasn't caring for my own family and future. I had, as one friend pointed out, something to fall back on. In some ways, it seems we don't have to live with our decisions as much when we are younger, or something. And for some reason, now, it seems like our decisions have a much greater consequence. For example, having bought a place in Harlem at the peak of the market.

But, I'm going to try and live in the here and now more. For example, here and now my husband is grinning at his computer screen. Why is he grinning at his computer screen? He is grinning at his computer screen because he is watching a Turkish television show with commentators that are doing an in-depth post-game analysis of today's soccer match. In-depth carries a slightly different meaning in Turkish. Here, after, let's say a football game, there might be an hour post-game show. I'll even stretch to say it may be two hours long. My husband has been watching the show for three hours, and it isn't over yet.

The game being analyzed is the Fenerbahce (Fenner-bachee) versus their arch enemies Galatiseray (Gala-tis-er-rye). Both are Istanbul based football teams with over a hundred year history of rivalry. You are born (or married) into the allegiance, and so I have dutifully put on my jersey today and cheered alongside my husband. We watched with Tolga's family on Skype, cheering alongside. I actually enjoy soccer, and love watching the game (despite falling asleep at half-time).

Fenerbahce won and fans around Turkey will be gloating for quite some time.