I've always had an odd concept of what makes you an adult....officially. Does being 18 and a legal adult also make you an official adult. I'm going to have to say no. I've known too many 18 year-olds and most are assuredly not adult-like. Does getting married make you an adult? I'm going to have to say from personal experience, it simply means you are of legal age, which again may not be enough to declare yourself officially an adult. How about having a child? I've never considered doing that, so I never put it on my internal list of "things that signify that I have left childhood behind".
I'm 31. I've been married and divorced. Yet occasionally, I still don't feel like I've achieved adulthood and all the responsibilities that go with that title. I felt closer when I finally lived alone.....way out in the middle of the woods in my tiny, cozy cabin. That way, I had to make all the decisions for myself with little or no help from anyone else. Though, even then, if I got myself into a pickle (and boy did I manage a couple huge ones), my grandparents, brother, or my mom would bail me out. Now, that's just what my families does for each other regardless of age or station, but being one of the youngest, I felt it took away some of my hard earned "I am an adult" points.
Well, Thanksgiving marked a significant milestone of my adulthood (in my own mind only, of course). I hosted! Don't get me wrong, I've contributed for quite some time. I cooked the turkey for the last four years, but I handed it off after it came out of the oven and joined the rest of the gang at my grama's house. This time, not only is the gathering at my house, I organized it. I told people what we still needed and what time to arrive. I also invited my betrothed's family, so we have house guests. Holidays are sacred responsibilities, to me, and being trusted with the responsibility for making it run smoothly is huge. I'm very glad I accepted this challenge, and I can mark off "hold a major family gathering on an important holiday" off my list of Adult Accomplishments.
Do you have any non-traditional milestones on your list of Adult Accomplishments? I've love to hear them. We can compare notes!
Achievement from Photobucket.....earned me major geek points with my man!
To own my own home was one....I finally got that, but I still don't feel like an adult! LOL!! I think feeling an adult is a state of mind that I just refuse to accept. Don't get me wrong, I am a responsible person, I go to work everyday (booooo), I pay my bills on time, I love and cherish my kids and husband, I don't go out to clubs but I have "date" nights now that are way more subdued. Yet I still feel suspended at around the age of 25. It's an ok place to be.
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