Getting Older

I recently had a birthday, and it was different than any one I've ever had. Instead of celebrating with some big party, I had a ten hour shift at work. After work, I came home and had dinner with my family then watched some TV before going to bed. It was just like any other dull day in my life.

The conclusion that I came to is that I'm legitimately growing up now. I had responsibilities that I had to take care of, so I wasn't able to just run off and party with my friends. It's a bit of a scary thought. This was the most grown-up birthday that I've had so far, so is this what it's going to be like for the rest of my life? Am I destined to do nothing but work and take care of the things I have to take care of and never leave any room for fun? That's just depressing to think about.

When I did end up celebrating my birthday that weekend when I had the time off of work, it was all very chill. I went to visit some friends in the city, but nothing huge. We got a couple dinners, had a few drinks, and went to the aquarium. It was great and I had fun, but it wasn't the crazy birthday parties of my past. However, this year I didn't even want anything crazy. I was perfectly happy with just being with a few friends and hanging out together. Maybe that too is a sign that I'm growing up.

I've always said that I suffer from Peter Pan Syndrome - the desire to stay young and carefree forever. But who doesn't want that? I think that given the choice of being young or having all sorts of real world adult responsibilities, a lot of people would favor being young. This whole getting older thing is a tad bit frightening, but it's something that must get done. Think of what the world would be like if everyone refused to grow up and act like an adult.

This birthday just really opened my eyes to how much has changed in only a year. It was the first time that I've had a birthday and I was not a student, the first time that I've had to work on my birthday, and the first time that I didn't get to see any of my friends on my actual birthday. I guess I could and should see this as the start of something new and different for me. From here on out I'm an adult.

So I should start acting like it, right? I'm not too sure I'm ready for all that yet. People always tell me that I still look like I'm only 17, so there's no harm in being immature every once in awhile. As long as everything that's important gets done, I don't see any reasons why I can't still have some fun in my life. After all, it is important to have healthy balances in life.