As a child, if there was one thing I was eager to achieve, it was to “grow up”. I looked up at adults and couldn’t wait to become one. You know, be able to stay out late, eat what I want, live alone; go wherever I wanted to go without my parents watching over me like a hawk. Those days, I hated the fact that I can’t hang out with my friends without my dad calling at intervals to know where I am and when I would be coming back home. I was tired of the constant nagging, the curfews, the house chores, the mandatory siestas; I just wanted to grow up and stay on my own.
Oh well, years has passed now and all I can say is, “Growing up is one of the biggest scams ever”. The other day, a friend posted on his status, “We all wanted to grow up so badly but look at us now broke, hustling, stressed, depressed and horny”. I chuckled when I read the status. It’s a funny one but he wasn’t far from the truth. Adulthood is a scam. It’s like a mirage; when you get there you realize that it wasn’t what you thought it was. We wanted to reach that age when we thought that we will have it all.
There are days I come back home from work, stressed and hungry. I come back to an empty house and empty pot. Like, there is no one around to even talk to about your day. Your mind is molded with thoughts on how you are going to make a success out of yourself, your job, your finance, your relationship. The pressure is just too much that sometimes I wish I can just go back to being a child.
As kids life was much easier and it was packed with so much fun. We had friends we trusted with every fiber of our being, we had parents that made decisions for us, we always had food to eat, and we never worried about our finance. Most times I gaze at children and admire their innocence, their energy, joy and carefree attitude. Like they move around with zero worries, and even if they are small, to them they look big. But really they have no idea. Whenever a child approaches me to tell me, “Aunty, I can’t wait to grow up and be like you”, I am always quick to remind them how hyped growing up is and if I had my way, I would love to be like them again. They usually laugh at my response. Of course they wouldn’t understand but I am not bothered because in years to come they will definitely realize that growing up is overrated.
For now, all I wish is a chance to tell my creator, “Look dude, I have finished my free trial of adulthood and I am no longer interested. I would like to cancel my subscription”.
