When I was young, I was terrified of growing up. I pretty much figured that I would die in a blaze of glory before turning 30, so I could enjoy the best years of my life in full and just forfeit the awful rest.
But now that I'm rapidly approaching the dreaded 3-0, I find myself actually looking forward to my middle-age years.
Don't get me wrong, being a kid is great. We get to live off our parents' dime and discover all the joys and hardships of life.
The temptation is to hold onto this time of discovery, our youth, for as long as possible. But that leads to a path devoid of purpose and meaning, when meaningful 'discovery' becomes aimless 'wandering'.
Growing up is finally willing to circumscribe our existence -- to draw our boundaries and live within them. It is being responsible for our own lives, and maybe others too.
To me, having that weight put on my shoulders is almost like having a burden lifted off of them. I don't have to worry about what I'm going to become, or what I'm going to accomplish in my life. I just have to go out and do it.
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