Age?

Today, one of my favorite blogs Back East Blonde talked about how she still doesn't feel like a grown up despite living with her beau, having a house, getting a puppy, and having a grown up job.  I feel like this all.the.time!

I told my dad once that I couldn't believe that I was a grown up and I had my own apartment (this was years ago) and a job and all that.  I asked him if you ever really start to feel like an adult.  He chuckled and said, "Ha, no. And wait until you have kids!"  I ask the fella the same question sometimes, especially since he always seems so much better at adult stuff that me.  You know, like knowing what copay means for insurance.  He said he doesn't feel like a grown up either.

As I hang out with people my age and older, I realized we're exactly the same as we were when we were kids/teenagers.  We still make dirty jokes (like the kids I teach who don't realize I've already made all the jokes they're just learning), act inappropriately in public (we just make sure no one's looking), and giggle during meetings.

As a teacher, I still laugh to myself when I hang out with teachers who are just as childish as me outside of the classroom.  Remember when you thought teachers lived at school?  You'd see them in the grocery store and think, "There's Mrs. So-and-So. She eats food.  Just like the rest of us. That's weird."  The difference between us and kids is that we have to pretend.  Kids get to do all these things all of the time and it's acceptable.  We do all these things but have to pretend we don't.  Because we're grown up.  Responsible.  Reliable.

It's nice to know that as I get older I don't have to give any of that up...I just have to pretend to. :)