"When You Grow Up or Just Wait 'til Your Older"

When you grow up" or Just wait until you are older"Do you remember when you were a child hearing those phrases or something similar from the adults in your life. I can recall sitting dreamily (or stormily) in my room and contemplating the absolute magical freedom of adulthood. I could stay up as late as I wanted to every night, east dessert before, or even instead of, vegetables. Sleep when I wanted and not have to make my bed. Putting clothes on hangars or in drawers was a collosal waste of time since you were going to wear them soon anyway. Why should my treasures (stuff the adults called it) have to be hidden away on shelves or stashed in the closet. As an adult I could have my precious things whereever I wanted them! The list of perks for adults was endless. At age 5 I started counting the days until "adult" or "grown up" could happen. The adults in my life would meet my demands of "how much longer" with phrases such as "Oh, it will happen soon enough" and "Don't be in such a hurry, enjoy your childhood while you can".

Honestly now, who can enjoy their childhood when everything that seems desireable is being witheld until some unspecified future date? I'd no sooner get nice and dirty from playing, totally absorbed in whatever activity that got me this way than I would be called into the house for something. This of course required that I leave what I'm doing "now", drag myself to the back door (front is for company) and be greeted with shock and "Oh my, you go wash those hands and that face RIGHT NOW". "And, don't you dare touch anything on the way to the bathroom either". I wasn't to leave a muddy mess in the sink either, I would find out later. Boy, once I'm grown up nobody can ever tell me not to get the sink dirty or to wash my hands before I eat.

I can recall my mom waving a cloth coat in front of my face when I was about six, continuing until I was in my teen years. This exercize would occur when I pushed too hard or whined too long for something she "didn't have the money" for. "Do you suppose I'd still be wearing this old coat" she'd say, waving it in my face, "If we had any extra money". I don't know what I thought as a young child, but by the age of 11 or so I can clearly recall thinking "Oh brother, if you REALLY wanted a new coat you'd have one!". But, isn't that the truth that the adults tell us. Than when you are grown up you can have/do what you want. It wasn't until motherhood taught me about sacrifice that I understood the choices she made. On the other hand, I did notice over the years that she had several coats and a fur jacket that she never waved in my face to make her point.

My oldest daughter used to tell me, plaintively at times, "But, I'm acting grown up", so when IS a person an adult. I'd tell her it was when she wasn't "acting" and she would get furious with me. How does one answer that question. I'm 67 and there are times when I am fully adult; some times I even get what I want, without feeling guilty or like someone else has to do without. There are times though that I am totally NOT grown up in my behavior. I stay up until the wee hours playing the WII with my daughter, eat too many sweets, laugh like a lunatic and feel YOUNG. Peace.