Oh Darlin' Don't You Ever Grow Up

When you're little all most kids can think about is how exciting it's going to be to grow up. You go from wanting to spend every second with your parents to asking them to drop you off around the corner just to be sure your friends don't see you with them (even though none of you can drive and they clearly got dropped off by their parents as well). When I was six years old I remember thinking that I couldn’t wait to be twelve because when you’re twelve you are old enough to have braces, and I could hardly contain the excitement I had to one day be able to pick out colored rubber bands to match my cheerleading uniform. It also meant I would be in sixth grade, middle school, the first year of changing classes and according to me, my first taste of “real life”. When I was nine, I couldn’t wait to be thirteen because thirteen meant I was a teenager and being a teenager meant I no longer had to wait for my mom to watch “Dawson’s Creek” to ensure it was suitable for my viewing pleasure before I indulged myself in everything Pacey Witter. During middle school I couldn’t wait for high school, and during high school I couldn’t wait for college. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college I realized the other side of the excitement. The added responsibility, the paying of my own bills, the utter terror of actually having to handle my own problems instead of running to daddy (Yes, I was a daddy's girl). Growing up I never thought twice about anything. Life happened and I was happy. I never needed for anything and if we’re being completely honest, I never wanted for anything either. I can admit I was spoiled, very spoiled but only materialistically. Bad behavior was an absolute deal breaker in my house. As soon as I disobeyed or displayed any type of unacceptable demeanor you better believe my mom took matters into her own hands which usually meant grounding me from my dearly beloved Barbies. I know there were many times I threatened my parents with the "just wait until I'm 18, I'm moving out and never talking to you again!" and I'm sure half of those tantrums were received with sighs of relief and thoughts that probably went something like "thank God, how many years do we have to go?" Looking back on my adolescent years always brings a smile to my face. It's compiled of bittersweet memories (playing four-square with my friends, having homework that took ten minutes to complete and pretending to be Kelly Kapowski from 'Saved By The Bell') I usually wish I could return to but there are times those memories linger with only the presence of appreciation. As much as I dream of returning to my Power Ranger days [the green ranger (who then changed his identity to become the white ranger) and the pink ranger were meant to be together] I am learning to live in the present. Every day of your entire life has prepared you for this moment. Do something with it. Become something magnificent, become the person you dreamed of becoming when you were in kindergarten being asked what you wanted to be when you grew up. The transition into the world of grown ups unfortunately means seeing life for all of it's downfalls. It means losing friends to petty arguments and realizing becoming the next President doesn’t just happen because you want it to. Luckily for us, the good times almost always exceeds those downfalls and make us thankful for them in the end. Look back on your childhood memories and learn from them, carry them with you forever and don’t ever grow too old to maintain the imagination of the child with in you. Dream big dreams, but remember you also have to to set them in motion. If you do the work, I guarantee you will get to where you want to be.

“Never lose your childish innocence. It’s the most important thing.”

–Under the Tuscan Sun

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions."
-Albert Einstein