Growing up: malibus to rocking chairs

So Taylor Swift's song Fifteen? Yeah, pretty sure she's onto something with that. When I was fifteen, I had no idea I would be where I am today at nineteen. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, I didn't know what college I'd go to, what car I'd have (if any), what triumphs and challenges awaited me.

It's weird, you think you've got it tough in high school. Nobody gets you and your homework overload or your drama of eating the same malibu sandwich everyday (except I think I actually liked those) or not knowing who you'll ask or what you'll wear to the next school dance.

It's fine, those are all legitimate concerns in high school. But once you grow up a little, your priorities change.
Now you're thinking about your future career and scholarships and what you'll wear to your next internship or job interview. You are utterly consumed by these decisions and goals. And sometimes you're lucky if you can manage to cram some food down between classes.

Then other crazy things start happening amid all your piles of homework, work schedules and your SpongeBob lunchbox. Your friends start getting married. That's probably the scariest thing I've noticed happening so far. Once you get married, your entire life changes and that one decision affects the outcome of your life. No pressure, right? But if you find the right person, that's fantastic. You can go, fight, win with that.

But that's a matter of time and circumstance. So all in good time for me...

And if you're my friend, I'll come to your wedding. I'll just probably eat a slice of cheesecake in the corner, still in shock that we're not sitting in the cafeteria at school talking about dances dresses and how we wish we didn't have to have our parents drive us places.

Okay, maybe that was a way long time ago, now that I think about it. But it's still weird to me, this whole growing up thing. I wonder if I'll ever get over it. Maybe when I'm in an an old, weathered state, rocking in a chair on my front porch it'll finally all catch up to me and then I'll feel like the world's moving at its own steady pace.

Maybe not though. Maybe that's when it'll really start moving fast. I don't know. I guess for now I'll go finish off my scholarships applications. Maybe I'll listen to Taylor's Fifteen and think of the good ol' days and revel in both worlds. I'm pretty much still a kid at heart, so I think I can get away with that.

I hope I'm still a kid at heart when I'm in my rocking chair. Maybe I'll try to trip my husband on the way to his chair or put a whoopie cushion on his seat.

You've gotta keep things interesting.

I guess that means that growing up really is a relative term. And well, I guess maybe I'm okay with that.