The process of becoming an adult is one of the slowest yet most drastic changes. It happens step by step, so internalized that you can't see it happening until you look back at the you that you were 5 years ago and realize that the person you were is as unfamiliar as you are to yourself now. As the saying goes, "Before you know it, it's 3 am and you're 80 years old and you can't remember what it was like to have 20-year-old thoughts or a 10-year-old heart." Perhaps that's why we like giving those younger than us advice. Of course, we're young and wiser and so we know more. But if we look back, there's an infinite amount of beautiful things that we've left in the past, things we barely remember, things we can no longer feel in our hearts.
1. A child's anticipation of an incoming snow day; the excitement and the feeling of not being able to sit still when you think about snow angels and sledding.
2. A child's excitement about the beach, about sand castles and the perpetual "yes!" when it comes to being allowed in the ocean; the promise to never become one of those boring adults that sunbathe.
3. The shame that comes with doing something wrong and being reprimanded about it by someone older than you; the flushed cheeks and the urge to cry.
4. The inability to sleep the day before you leave for family vacations; the sheer excitement about all the cool stuff that's about to happen.
5. Staying up all night and keeping it a secret from your parents, whispering to your friend about how you didn't sleep AT ALL and feeling cool when they gasp.
6. Wanting to drink coffee because all the adults do it but actually secretly hating the bitterness.
7. Keeping secret candy stashes from adults, and feeling badass about it until they find out.
8. Promising to never be one of those boring adults who just work all day and never do anything fun.
9. Not understanding what adults find so fun about just sitting around and talking at the table when there's so many games to play and adventures to have.
10. Experiencing the legitimate, sheer, and genuine excitement, joy, sadness, jealousy, anger; not dulling your emotions down to be appropriate or convenient, and instead never being afraid to feel things with all your heart.
Report this ContentThis article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.