by Leslie RomanHave you ever felt like you’re getting old? Is your creativity less than how it once was? Do you still laugh when you see someone fall? Or do you accept the behavior of teens today? There are many questions we need to ask ourselves as we get older. My friends, I hate to break it to you but we have flown out of Neverland. It is time to realize the harsh and undeniable reality of “Growing Up”. I remember the times when I use to cry for silly things that people tried to tell me not to worry about. It was simple things like not having a lot of friends, not being able to dye my hair or have that bar piercing like other girls, or even to have the same clothes--better yet the same brand --everyone was wearing. Not being able to go the “big party” that everyone at school was going to. These moments in my life, or even in your life, are no longer necessary to be or become who you are. As we have gotten older, we have to realize that those things were a waste of time. Our younger selves spent time on things that should not have mattered, but because we were pre-teens and adolescents we focused more on our images and on how we wanted to appear in front of others. [Now, I can’t believe it.] We were so quick to judge someone without even knowing them, and believed everything anyone would say about them. This one thing would never change, even though we tried to. Nevertheless, who can forget that one group of people who were “cool”, Facebook-famous, or how AIM and Myspace was the trend back then. You wished to be in the clique, or even tried to be in it. It gave a sense of power, a sense of unity, and a sense of respect. To have your own posse was to get many people to know who you were, where you came from, and to understand that you couldn’t be bullied by anyone else. Sometimes it came to the point that, during these moments of childhood, a friend would leave their dearest friend[s] to become someone they were not. I know from personal experience that it hurts to see someone you cared so deeply about, shared secrets no one knew, and had a bunch of laughs with, go and leave you just to become one of them. Now as we become older, and turn into adults, we realize we have been so naïve. With this new mentality, we can actually laugh about it. But there are those whose laughter hides the real pain that may still be within their hearts. Just because someone gets older and “wiser”, does not mean they forget the past. Yes, we have learned the typical ideas--to forgive is to forget, to forgive but not to forget, and how a grudge can affect a person. However, even as we get older, there is still forgiveness to be accomplished. It is not easy. There are places, objects, people and words that trigger memories of a time that life was not so great. As we have gotten older, we realize that life goes on and if you hold onto something that is “petty”, the only one who still holds onto it is you. Ninety percent of us remember only the bad events in our lives, not the good ones. Along with creativity, it is frustrating to realize that you are running out of ideas. The other day I was remembering how I had so many ideas for nail art. This was a hobby of mine. I like all sorts of colors, so I was experimenting with which color goes with what; the designs I had envisioned were put into practice; I even had the necessary tools like the dotting tool, acrylic liquid and powder. The point is that I was very creative at that point in my life. However, now I am college student, this hobby of mind ceases to exist. Nevertheless, I am rejecting that thought that my creativity is lessening. I should not accept this reality, and neither should you. This tortures my mind because I guess I do not want to lose that piece of my life that makes up who I am. Nonetheless, I believe that my generation and this generation are completely different. The image, appearance, friendships, and relationships are always going to be factors of the stage of adolescents. I see the way teenagers now get on buses and trains, cursing, making a lot noise. This is usual. One can automatically assume that they are probably in their first year of high school, or sophomores. When I look at them now, I get annoyed, and frustrated. Why is that? We use to be their age, and have conversations on the trains or buses, and be loud. (Well, at least I was not loud or cursing.) Yet I know deep down I crave to be like them again. I guess their presence, and energy, and youthfulness is the luxury I get to encounter. In the back of my mind, I wish I were 15 again. The years have gone by quick, and we think to ourselves that we feel as though we graduated from high school not so long ago. With this new mentality of getting older, we have to realize that we can no longer be taken care of like before. Our mothers will not be giving us breakfast when we wake up, doing our beds, buying our clothes, or even paying the rent. Our fathers will not be the only men in our lives because we might get married. Our brothers and sisters can take care of us but we must hold up our own ends. Everybody says now, “You can take care of yourself” and we agree—even if it’s painful. To grow up is to realize childish things and know your mistakes, to not judge someone too quickly, to learn how to forgive. And yes, we must still admire youthfulness even as we leave it.
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