As a child, I would anticipate each birthday, not just for the gifts and cake, but because with each year came a new age. I couldn’t wait to sport my first bra, wear my first pair of high heels, or just about anything that would make me feel like I was a stunning, adult woman.
Now, at the eager age of 20, I have abandoned my teenage days and am now a year away from emerging into legal adulthood. I’m finally at the point in my life that I have anticipated throughout my childhood, yet it is not as glamorous as it seemed in my fantasies.
My ten-year-old self was unaware of a five-day workweek accompanied with household chores, or even worse, credit card bills. Along with the makeup and stilettos, have come responsibilities, and lots of them. Part of me wishes I could rewind time so that I could revel in my carefree innocence, traveling back to an age in which to-do lists were not even imagined.
In reality, growing up is not all that it’s made out to be and the real world is pretty scary. Granted, as the typical broke college student, I currently live at home relying on rides or public transportation and aspects of the near approaching future haunt me like rent, insurance, and taxes. While growing up, I disregarded these as boring topics of discussion I would overhear from my parents over their morning cup of coffee, but these terms are quickly forcing their way into my vocabulary.
Now I could sit here and complain all I want, but as we all know, that won’t change a thing. We cannot hop into a time machine and escape the reality of growing up and forget all of the responsibilities that come along with age. We have to embrace it, taking one day at a time. Nothing may compare to childhood, but with each new age comes something unique to look forward to. This must be why we are so commonly taunted on our birthdays with the ignorant question of, “How does it feel to be (insert new age here)?” We all know the answer, “it feels the same!” Although, what we don’t notice is that there is a change, even if we don’t realize it immediately.
I encourage you to stop looking back on what we could have done. Regrets are useless, simply unchangeable actions. Instead, consider each passing age as a learning experience and grow from it. Try to avoid comparison and rather focus on making the next year to come even better than the last. Time will continue to keep ticking forward whether we are ready or not. As I write this, I am thinking to myself, “wow, this is a lot easier said than done”, and it very well may be, but I refuse to let that stop me from adopting this new mindset. From now on, I will try to enjoy each moment as I’m in it, leaving the past behind and the future open for me to discover when I get there. I will embrace my age with confidence and an open mind. Who’s with me?