(Conversations with my mother)

Mom: Hi! Did you hear (random kid I went to school with) got a job at (random awesome place with high paying salary)?
Me: Really? That’s great.
Mom: Yeah! Did you see on Facebook that (random cousin I don’t talk to who recently got divorced) is engaged?
Me: Oh really.
Mom: Also (random girl who goes to her church that knows the third cousin of someone I know) just had a baby. She’s so cute!
Me: Good for them! (I dont care..)

Maybe it comes with age. Maybe I missed the memo and this is the type of conversation every twenty-something around the world is having with their parents.  Call me selfish, but I have my own life to worry about.The last thing I want to hear about is how Suzy Q is on husband number 2 and I can’t even get a 2nd date. Or how the grade school overachiever is on their way to financial success and I’m just setting up my first savings account. Why do parents think we want to hear about the lives of every Joe Schmo?

Perhaps this is their way of dropping subtle hints. I know my parents mean well and their intentions aren’t to add any additional pressure. However, when it’s just me on the other end of the conversation my brain’s first reaction is to compare myself to that person. If there’s one thing I hate most in life, it’s comparing myself to others, but Its something I find myself doing often. I start thinking, well why is that not happening to me. Am I not working hard enough? What do I need to change? Honestly, the whole self analysis thing is draining. It takes up so much of my energy I really don’t have any left to actually give a care about someone else’s life.

So from on I really need my conversations with my parents to go a little something like this:

Mom: Hi! How are you doing?
Me: Fine… (Long rant about MY life)
Mom: Everything will be OK!

The End.

Am I the only one with this problem? Are your parents constantly telling you about the events in other people’s lives that you could care less about?