It’s a weird thing growing up. I’m on the verge of my 24th year and I never thought I would get this old. As a child part of me believed I would never grow up even though I desperately wanted to. Now I find myself wanting to be young again, free of responsibility and certain wisdom I have gained that comes with getting older.
It’s strange when you’re a teenager you think that what you know, the ideas, the opinions you have will always be that way. You think that you are who you are going to be, that you couldn’t be more you than you are at sixteen. How naive, at that age I think you are the farthest from who you truly are. Hormones and influences contribute too much to your being when you’re that age. I remember thinking I knew everything when I was a teen, and I remember my mom constantly arguing with me that I didn’t, but I would not step down. I was always irritated by people hating on teens, saying they were ignorant and reckless. I still believe people can be too hard on teens but it is not a lie that many are very ignorant and reckless, but in their defense they don’t know any better. I think the problems between most adults and teenagers is that adults forget what is was like being that age and teens have no concept of what it’s like to be an adult. In all honesty they are on complete opposites of the spectrum, resulting in many heads being butted.
About six years ago I remember a friend of mine getting upset at me for dabbling in some things she did not agree with. I had been out of high school for a year and had been thrust into this world of being able to make my own decisions without having the guilt of my parents looming over me head, which was freeing for me. I experimented while she was still in high school, still living under rule and she was not happy with my decisions. I recall her saying to me “You’ve changed,” I was so angry at her in that moment. I hadn’t changed, how dare she say that to me, I was still the same person. Needless to say our friendship went into hibernation and a year and a half later I got a message from her apologizing for overreacting saying that she too was now making some similar decisions and had a new perspective. I never really gave up on our friendship during that time, I knew she was younger and hadn’t yet the ability to understand. I knew she would come around and she did, I’m happy to report our friendship has been going strong for the last 5 years now.
Recently the topic of changing has come up again in my life and now I am not so negative about it. I have changed and I’m proud of it. I’m glad I am not like my 16yo self(aren’t we all?), we are not meant to be our teenaged selves. I don’t believe in the things I used to, I don’t have the opinions I used too. As I’ve gotten older I have become more open with my ideas, less judgmental of others and more accepting. However, even though many things have changed about me I still am fundamentally who I was as a 5 year old. I don’t like to let things define me but I have always been these three things:
Loud, I was born with a high decibel voice, I am destine for a life of my dad constantly telling me to lower my voice (which is not possible unless I whisper lol so get used to it dad!)
Talkative, Since I said my first word at 9months and haven’t stopped. I could talk about anything and everything all day long. Nothing makes me more happy than a good conversation (it’s they way to my heart).
Honest, My mom always says “Come on Lindsay, tell us how you really feel,” I have never been shy about what I am thinking, sometimes it gets me in trouble but I truly believe it’s the best policy.
I guess I’m supposed to call myself and adult now but I still have so much kid left in me (considering I work with 5yos all day). I feel like I am on the border of childhood and adulthood. I am gaining knowledge everyday but still trying to find the novelty in things. I hope to keep this quality as long as I can. Being an adult is no fun without a little novelty and childhood is enriched with a little knowledge. Cheers to growing up and growing young simultaneously.
Peace and Love
Lindsay the Rambler of Things
wordsofhonestunwisdom 
I am 43 and still learning everyday how to grow up. I used to deliberately avoid responsibility and continued my wrecklessness well into my 30s. With that said, I still managed to build a decent career.
What I’ve noticed through life is that every few years we go through some kind of “awakening” where all of a sudden we make discoveries about ourselves and the world, we develop the hind sight our parents have been bashing us over our heads with for years. You are going through this at the moment and you will again every 4 or 5 years from now on.
I love being in my 40s. I am still young enough to fully feel the experience of living but old enough to add wisdom to the way I react to it. I have not forgotten what it was like to be a teen but I am so glad not be back there in that zone of frustration where adults still treat you like a child while your brain is telling you you are capable of anything..
Three golden rules for life:
Always be utterly honest
No matter what anyone else thinks make your decisions on how happy they make you feel
Never look back
Agreed! Those are great golden rules!
Beautiful post! YOU are wise beyond your years. Good for you! I always believe in “letting the little girl in oneself come out every now and again.” Have fun! I can tell you do. You’re awesome! Enjoy your day. 🙂 Renee
Awe thanks, your awesome too
YOU are most welcome. I still love to play with ‘bubbles’ and I turned 60 this past Wednesday. ha ha. 🙂
That is awesome! Bubbles are one of my fave things too. And you can’t keep me away from side walk chalk 😉
Sidewalk chalk is fun too! I used to have my own daycare and we had so much fun!! :}