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March 2008 
What's the best thing about getting older?
Posted on Oct 11th, 2007
by 
Yogi
Yogi
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for October 11, 2007:
When I was five, I was dying to be 9. My brother was 9 and I thought 9 was the best age in the world. When I was 12 I was desperate to be 16. My brother was 16. He could drive. He had a car. He could go wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. I wanted that freedom. When I was 14 I wanted to be 18. Not only could my brother now drive, but he was an adult. And used that argument with my dad, a lot. I wanted to use that argument. I was a freshman in highschool and desperately wanted my way. When I was 17 I wanted to be 21. My brother could drink. He was almost done with college. I was just about to enter college. I wanted to be everything he was. A grown up. Able to do it all. Now I'm 21. My brother is 25 and shopping for an engagement ring. I'd very much like to be 5 again.
Growing up is a two edged sword. As you grow up, you always want to be older. You always want to be able to do what you cannot do. I wanted to be able to drive. When I could do that, I wanted to vote. The second I could vote I wanted to be able to drink and go to a club to dance. Now, I can do it all and I wonder why I was in such a rush to grow up so quickly. Why was I in such a rush to avoid my childhood. Why didn't I enjoy the time when I was 8 and could get away with so much more? I was always four years ahead of myself. I forced myself to grow up, to be right there with my brother because I wanted to be just like him.
The best thing about growing up is the hindsight. I can now take every day one at a time and enjoy life for what it is.
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Wow this is the best reflection that I've read so far.
Indeed, what is it about growing up that compells us to run as fast as we can through the years? I miss all those ages, now that I'm 24. I miss the birthday parties with balloons and ribbons, I haven't had balloons at my birthday since I turned 16, every year after that has been dinners out with the family instead. Why? >.>
Now that I'm 24, it would look awfully strange for me to come home covered in mud from head to toe from playing in the swamp. When I was 5 it was cute.
Though, I've grown a ton mentally since highschool. (Highschool I don't know if I'd want to go back to. I was a workaholic at the time.) The hindsight is nice, but I wouldn't exchange the maturity and wisdom that is only going to grow over my next decade. I like who I am becoming.