Mood: Sleepy. Night people don't like waking up during sunlight hours.
Music: The Partridge Family, I Think I Love You
Mind: Am I really getting this old.

In eight hours, I will be sitting through Matthew's graduation. This is a rather tumultuous and mind-boggling event.

In short, I feel old.

I know that's crazy. I turn 22 years old in eight days. I am not, in a manner of speaking, getting up there in years. But I certainly feel like I'm passing my prime while I'm still in my prime.

I don't really think about my age until I'm around Matthew, who's only four years younger than me. The "great" television shows Paul and I grew up with mean nothing to him unless he's seen them in reruns. Video games have changed. He's of the Nintendo generation with thumbs of steel. He can type a kajillion words a minute because he's grown up on the Internet.

And now, his graduation.

When I met Paul, Matthew was 13 years old. I have known him since he was in eighth grade. He's been here through our college years and his crazy teen years. He's grown, he's matured (at least a little bit), and he's become a man in his own right.

On one hand, he's the cool guy we trust to be Paul's best man in the wedding. On the other hand, he's still the "kid brother."

I used to resent Matthew tagging along, because when I first started dating Paul, I wanted to just be left alone with him. Now, Paul and I are always calling up Matthew (and hoping he can fit us into his social schedule). :-D

But for all the ups and downs, we still think the world of him.

"Matthew and you are the two best friends I got," Paul told me in the car tonight.

I second that. If I had been blessed with a little brother, I hope he had turned out just like Matthew. (Well -- just like Matthew, but with the ability to put down the toilet seat and occasionally pick up his room.)

Matthew's moving in with Paul until the wedding, and the two will be going to school together this fall. I just hope it'll always be the way it is now -- where I feel I can call him up any time to bitch about Paul or get a second opinion on something. He's fast becoming one of my best friends too, and I hope we never lose that.

Happy graduation, Matthew. We're behind you all the way.