Too Many People Grow Up

“Too many people grow up. That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up. They forget. They don't remember what it's like to be 12 years old. They patronize, they treat children as inferiors. Well I won't do that.” - Walt Disney

Here is my response to an article written by a friend at her own blog: http://wallflower1332.blogspot.com/2009/08/we-grow-neither-better-nor-worse-as-we.html

I refuse to grow up.

I realized the other day that one of the last things in the world I wanted to do was to grow up. All my life, I've been wanting to grow up, be cool, and couldn't wait until I was Samantha's age from the TV show Wishbone. But I think the mere fact that I still make references to Wishbone shows just how much I don't want to grow up. There was a time, back during my freshman year of high school, when one friend told me "You're like a 30 year old trapped inside the body of a 13 year old". And I thought that was awesome! I was already acting like an adult? How cool was that! But I don't want to grow up anymore.

At this point, I should clarify one thing. Just because I don't want to grow up doesn't mean I don't want to enter the adult world. I do! I want to get a job, start a life, have an apartment, travel and see the world and all those other "adult" things. But while I enter the adult world, I don't want to grow up and become an adult.

Because in my mind, growing up is a horrible idea. I'd have to stop sleeping with my stuffed animals. I'd have to actually stick to a certified organizational system, rather than creating my own "organized mess". I wouldn't be allowed to get into shallow, immature arguments with my friends. I would be told to sell my old Nancy Drew books and other childhood favorites. I would be told to not spend so much money at a bookstore - it wasn't frugal. In short - I would have to work, eat, sleep, have only regulated fun times and enter a world where you are supposed to be mature, responsible and grown up.

And to that world, I say nothing. I simply grab my baby blankets, stomp my feet into place and start pouting. Because I will not grow up. I will continue to do crazy and immature things when I haven't had enough sleep and I'm with my friends. I'll continue to sleep with my stuffed animals. I will keep my living quarters as neat or messy as I want. I will have so many bookshelves, and they will proudly display Nancy Drew and Wishbone, right next to Medieval Political Philosophy. I will buy books and read them, pass them to my friends and cherish them (face it - if you've seen my town's library, there's not nearly enough there to keep my interest). I'll continue to do things to show my friends that I care, even when it might not be considered fiscally responsible. I am going to hold on to my inner child.

So I will enter this new world of jobs, taxes, and politics. But while I'll sit and debate topics of controversy, you can be sure that the child inside of me is reading a Nancy Drew story when she should be asleep.


Epilogue (for Ally):
I really should admit though, that I am extremely excited about several leadership councils I'm involved with this year and the opportunity to make a difference on campus. I'm always thrilled when I discover that I can really cook (and not just bake). And I'm also going to be more dedicated to my studies this year, though it's more out of necessity than anything else. My sinkmate is actually going to drag me to the gym to work out with her. Oh, and be careful with the fish ; )