"If growing up means it would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I won't grow up, never grow up, never grow up, not me." -Peter Pan
A few years ago, I got a gift from a distant relative when I came to visit. While that doesn't seem all that unusual, it has to be said that of about a dozen of us who visited, I was the only one given a present. I bashfully thanked them, and asked what it was for. (It wasn't my birthday.)
Their answer had me stunned. The couple said it was because to them, I had always maintained a child-like aura. They said it seemed as if I never lost my child's spirit. Their gift was so I know that it's a good thing to remain child-like. "Um, what?" was the phrase in my head when I heard it. I wasn't expecting that answer at all, them telling me I was their child who they gave away at birth would have been more believable.
The boy who refused to grow up.
For Peter Pan, the idea of growing up is ludicrous. It's unthinkable to want to grow up, or even to think about it. Sometimes we don't necessarily want to, but we have to. There are bills that need to be paid, responsibilities that need to be taken care of and the future to think of and worry about.
Today, I feel the oldest I've felt since.. ever. I've made a decision that will be part of my life until the next decade or so. All at once, it's a commitment, a risk, and a choice. It's a big step towards adulthood. I feel like a proper grown-up today, lulz. And while it is scary, it is also gratifying (and exciting!).
But Peter Pan had it wrong I think, being a grownup doesn't mean you won't climb trees anymore. You still would and could, but by then you may also choose to climb mountains. I'm hoping to still get a gift from that couple again this year. ~_~
But Peter Pan had it wrong I think, being a grownup doesn't mean you won't climb trees anymore. You still would and could, but by then you may also choose to climb mountains. I'm hoping to still get a gift from that couple again this year. ~_~
