Growing older doesn’t necessarily mean growing up, and we’ll soon be reminded of this when the adult children return from college for the summer.
At 18 they became legal adults eligible to vote, buy cigarettes, serve in the military, gamble at a casino and participate in other things reserved for adulthood.
I’ve even said to the college kid on occasion, “You’re an adult now …” for dental work, tetanus shots and registering for classes.
But he’s got some growing up to do before I call him a grown-up.
For example, adults stay out late … past midnight or later. Grown-ups do their best to stay awake past midnight (sometimes while waiting for the adults to return home).
Adults eat when they’re hungry (sometimes at 2 a.m.). Grown-ups consider the hunger of others and prepare meals that all can enjoy.
And grown-ups clean up their dishes and those of others, while adults feel pretty good about bringing their own plate to the sink.
Adults find supper in the freezer aisle of the grocery store. Grown-ups find a week’s worth of suppers in the produce, meat and dairy aisles.
Adults have rent. Grown-ups have mortgages.
Adults drive vehicles with subwoofers and custom rims. Grown-ups drive vehicles with good gas mileage and safety ratings.
Adults like loud music. Grown-ups turn up the volume in order to hear the news.
Adults relax with xBox for hours at time. Grown-ups are thrilled to be free of the screen at the end of the day.
Adults look forward to weekends so they can sleep in. Grown-ups look forward to weekends so they can catch up on work in the house and yard.
Grown-ups feel a sense of security when they meet a squad car. Adults immediately hit the brakes and hope they weren’t speeding.
Adults often lie about their age to access privileges reserved for grown-ups. Grown-ups often lie about their age in an attempt to be younger.
Grown-ups can detect a faulty furnace by the way it sounds. Adults simply put on an extra hoodie.
Adults work out to look buff in their designer jeans. Grown-ups work out for better health and stress relief.
Adults plan for college papers at the end of the semester. Grown-ups arrange for wills and estates for end-of-life planning.
Yes, adulthood is granted to all those who reach their 18th birthday.
Anyone can be an adult.
But growing up is something entirely different, and some people never achieve it.
I’ll admit I’m still working on it — in fact I often aspire to certain goals when I grow up (writing that book or running that marathon).
I suppose it takes a real grown-up to understand the difference between growing older and growing up.
After all, room to grow is a good thing. It means we’re striving to be better and to do more, and that’s a very grown-up approach to life.