What does it mean to be "grown up"? Is it a certain defining moment that you become a grown up? There’s no alarm or pop up timer like on an oven stuffer roaster. Although that would explain all my skin tags and stray chin hairs that show up out of nowhere begging to be plucked. I am certain I did not have this issue in my teens.
I am a thirty-seven year old mother of two. I am pushing forty, yet in my mind I do not consider my self grown up. There are surely moments that I have to be the grown up in a situation, like parenting for example. Even then I am growing and learning and sometimes making mistakes.
Maybe you are a grown up when you no longer get any slang. The other night while I was doing the dishes my son was watching FUEL TV. After a skater did a trick Gabe exclaimed "Mom, did you see that? That was dirty! Rewind that.” I then asked " Dirty as in pornographic?" He replied with the patented duh mom undertones teenagers have perfected and passed down for generations. Saying "No dirty as in sick!" Which was ironic because I had almost the same conversation with my mom over the word sick being used as a positive thing back when I was a teen. Perhaps I am a grown up because I am the one who pays the cable bill yet 99 percent of the time I am watching either FUELTV or iCarley. Hmmm...there could be something to that.
In the US you are a legal adult at 18. I cannot speak for all of you but I for sure was NOT a grown up . When I posted the question to my social network buds online I received what seemed like three answers all explained a bit differently. There was the group that seemed to think that they had to grow up early due to circumstances beyond there control. There where some whom just gave specific numbers followed by a question mark and then there were those (mostly men I might add) who said and I quote " I'm still shredding and I have no intention of stopping". I take this to mean never.
I am starting to think that they are all right. Sure, at a certain age we stop growing but each experience good or bad leads to growth. Each bump in the road changes our vision on life and how we choose to live it. Lets all thank the universe for that or we would all be wearing stirrup pants with huge mall hair saying "gag me with a spoon. Like totally!"
Is growing up different than growing old? I have some friends who are just terrified of getting older. Each birthday seems to fill them with dread. I on the other hand like getting older. Each year brings with it more experience. Things that at one time were so important don't hold the weight that they once did. I also enjoy more simple pleasures and the magic in the everyday. As my Mom and Auntie Tracy would say "JUST NOTICE".So I guess it is also true that I don't think I will ever really " grow up". I guess I will just keep shredding till I die. How about you, are you a grown up? What does that mean to you?
12 comments:
Hilarious read, Sara...great job! Like I said on FB, I realized I was a free-decision-making adult when it occurred to me that I could eat the dessert FIRST on my TV dinner. The fact that I was 30 and eating a TV dinner kind of negates the grown up moment, though! Lately, I am grown up because I have a house and a full time job, and like you I am 37, but as far as "feeling" grown up, I dont think that will ever happen. I also don't think I act or dress very grown up...still shop in the jr. section with my 15 year old future step daugther, who said we are more like sisters than mother-daughter. I took that as a HUGE compliment!
Yeah, growing up's a bitch. Sometimes. I doubt anybody actually enjoys getting older past the age of 29. It's all in your mindset....it really IS only a number!
You need to start some commenting, girl...and get the little bobbleheads following-thingie that google has...it'll drive up your traffic.
Nice post.
Interesting post, Sara. I had a great grown up moment this past summer. I was sitting on my front step playing guitar, with a glass of bourbon next to me. It hit me that I had seen my mother do much the same thing when I was little. I had becomemy parents, and it was a good thing. That's an adult moment.
My firt real adult thing, though, comes from when I made the decision to move to Utah after college. My first big decision that was mine to make, anx the consequences were mine to endure. There were a few trial runs before that (college choice, major, etc) but nothing with real potential downsides.
So that's my definition -- when you make decisions and you live with the consequences, then you are an adult.
As an aside, I've had more fun as an adult than I did as a kid, and I had a good childhood.
- Drew Frink, Utah
HAHA fuel tv bit lol ..... no typos thts a first
Smart and funny, seeing as I know the story as it unfolds! Keep going, I really enjoy this so far!
I think of growing up as the process of growing. A process, not a destination. Hopefully I grow up. Not down. (Though I have had some downward growth spurts in life I like to think that cultivated wisdom sends me generally in the upward direction nowadays.) Good food for thought...
First, thanks for letting me know about your blog! Second, my kids are young and I have never heard of Fuel TV (not sure if that makes me old). Third, in the eyes of the younger ones, I may appear old, but I don't think I'll ever grow up. Although I have an old soul, I also have a young spirit. Although my bones hurt more today then when I was in my 20s, I'm still looking forward to what I'm going to do when I grow up (when I reach my fourties). Nope - I won't be growing up anytime soon.
Stopping by from SITS!!! Have a great SAturday!!!
I am your first follower!! I am excited!!! yeay!
"Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest"
I love this! I hope to never grow up! And love watching Icarly and Phineas and Ferb. its just fun!
stop havin a hissy...i found it! the problem with grown up is the tense of the word grown. it signifies that the growing has come to an end. which is what happens well you know when that all happens...and what's up with "up". are we getting taller? heading north? toward the sky? the whole experession is whack (is that even still slang? i dont know...i feel so grown up). getting older is inevitable and actually has its perks...and there's the whole you're as young as you feel...for me, well, my body's aged; i've had some bumps along the road of life and have survived and have learned...but still quite the kid @ heart...that's all i got...nice job, sira...
I'm glad I accidentally clicked your facespace photo and saw that post #2 was up. I was looking forward to reading it a week ago but must have missed the news. What a great and funny read, and I fucking hate reading. I'm a fan of your mom and tracy. I found myself this summer sitting on our porch, relaxing after a ridiculously hard day of working on the house, just commenting back and forth with the wife on the different birds that frequent our yard. just noticing stuff and thinking "this is the life". i don't think i knew birds existed before then ;) but it seemed a defining point we were no longer on the outside looking in at all the grown ups.
i also think i really matured when a spark went off and i truly knew myself and where i fit in.
i guess there are stages, but i'll still be swearing like a sailor, wearing my black Vans, decompressing from work with some Slayer, and telling poop stories until the grave.
Post a Comment