Grown up?
Thinking about that manhood quote yesterday led me to start back on a long standing line of debate for me. When will I be a grown up?
There's no rite of passage or set date for such an achievement. Well, at least not that I've been told. (Sometimes I think everyones just keeping secrets) For certain I believe having children can be the catalyst for becoming a "grown up" but I know too many parents who didn't. Makes me sad for their children.
In the U.S. eighteen years of experience qualifies you in the governments eyes as being prepared for the duties and responsibilities of an adult.
But there is no test or exam to make sure that in those 18 years you actually learned anything.
Time and time again I've thought that I understood what I needed to do, created new challenges for myself to try and prove to myself that I have indeed reached that maturity. To list them here would just be self indulgent and pointless. The point is, I still have my doubts.
When I moved to Maine it was to be self sufficient, not to work for someone else. To find a way to make a living solely on my talents. Next month will make 4 years I've lived here in Bangor.
It's now been a year that I have been totally self sufficient. Between teaching and gigs I've managed to pay all my bills and get ahead a little bit. I've gotten the respect of my peers.
But have I grown up?
There's no rite of passage or set date for such an achievement. Well, at least not that I've been told. (Sometimes I think everyones just keeping secrets) For certain I believe having children can be the catalyst for becoming a "grown up" but I know too many parents who didn't. Makes me sad for their children.
In the U.S. eighteen years of experience qualifies you in the governments eyes as being prepared for the duties and responsibilities of an adult.
But there is no test or exam to make sure that in those 18 years you actually learned anything.
Time and time again I've thought that I understood what I needed to do, created new challenges for myself to try and prove to myself that I have indeed reached that maturity. To list them here would just be self indulgent and pointless. The point is, I still have my doubts.
When I moved to Maine it was to be self sufficient, not to work for someone else. To find a way to make a living solely on my talents. Next month will make 4 years I've lived here in Bangor.
It's now been a year that I have been totally self sufficient. Between teaching and gigs I've managed to pay all my bills and get ahead a little bit. I've gotten the respect of my peers.
But have I grown up?
posted by Brad O'Brien at 10:52 AM
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