Ever since I was about 10 years old, I have been waiting to turn 21. I don't know why, maybe it was the right of passage or the fact that I'm an "adult" in the eyes of society and the world. But something that I never thought would happen would be that when I actually hit the big two one, that I'd not feel competent.
I remember when I turned 13, it was a milestone. I was a teen, not a pre-teen, but a teen. Wow, I was really growing up, or so I thought. I remember telling my mom that I would never be rebellious or anything of the sort. Guess what? Not a few years later and I left the house and totally did just that.
18 rolled around and even though it was another milestone, I was still looking to this "adult" age where drinking was legal and I was finally "grown up."
Let me tell you, growing up sure doesn't have anything to do with age. Sure, I had a lot of experiences and I'm a lot more mature and level-headed than I was, but I'm still not sure I can actually call myself completely mature or grown up.
Today is my 21st birthday, and to my 13 or 18 year-old self it's the day that I "arrived," but truly I'm still learning. I'm still growing in so many ways and honestly I don't trust myself with things such as decision making or where I'm going to take my life because I literally have no idea what the heck I'm doing.
Experience is something learned over time, and just because I can be charged for crime as an adult and drink and smoke doesn't mean I will always make adult-like decisions or be responsible as I should.
Life is a journey, and to those of you who just can't wait to grow up or can't wait to do things in life, take your time. In no means am I saying that those things shouldn't be looked forward to. But if you constantly look to the destinations in life instead of the journey and taking things slow and learning, you'll just be disappointed. Yeah, 21 is great. But with it comes great responsibility and please don't rush this.
Life is but a fleeting series of events that if taken lightly will fly by and the next thing you'll know, you'll be at the end. And if you're at the end and you look back and wish you had just stopped and taken a deep breath and enjoyed the scenery, that will be something that will be more regretful than speeding down this highway we call life just to get to that birthday or that job.
Slow down, we only get one shot at this and I'd rather be grateful for every second of every day rather than getting to the end of the journey and realizing that the true destinations were in the little moments along the way.
