Miley Cyrus is no longer Hannah Montana. The Olsen Twins aren’t Michelle Tanner anymore (Even though they ditched "Fuller House"). Selena Gomez isn’t Alex Russo.
And most unfortunate, Hilary Duff isn’t Lizzie McGuire. Our childhood was spent idolizing these characters, which, quite frankly, have not set the best examples, but that’s another conversation entirely.
We spent the whole larger part of our childhood racing through it, in order to reach a point where we can step back and look at how far we have come. For example, Monsters Inc. came out in 2001. I was five years old, yes, I would kill to go back to simpler times, but it shocks me that I remember when I first saw that movie. "Finding Nemo"was released in 2003. And for you, over-the-hill folks, the original "Cinderella" hit theaters on March 4, 1950. But, lucky for all of us, no one is ever too old for a Pixar or Disney movie. That is a cardinal rule somewhere, I swear.
Growing up shouldn’t be scary. It should be thrilling. Of course, it is upsetting that Disney Channel is no longer the same, or, in my opinion, has left its glory days in the past, but we grew up and we grew out of it. But we didn't grow up so much that we forget what we once enjoyed. Share a laugh while watching a Disney movie, play a game of Monopoly even though it lasts for hours on end, and finally continue to love and enjoy those around you because before you know it, ten more years will have passed by and Taylor Swift will be bashing her 25th boyfriend through her song lyrics. People naturally grow apart, but if you make an effort to stay in contact you’ll always have some things in common, no matter where you are or where you are going.
You’ll laugh when someone says:
You’ll enjoy a great chickflick.
Or two.
Or three.
You'll always know where to find Chico, Fabio, Bingo, Harpo, Elmo, or in other words, Nemo.
And you'll know for sure that no one's high school was ever like this.
Most importantly is that you'll find time to sit down and let it all go.
And hopefully, in the end, you’ll always find your way back home.