Growing Up Is Not All About Growing Up

By Anand Menda

Growing up is not all about growing up....... Confused by this statement? Well, I will try to explain......... When we were kids, growing up meant becoming taller and going to the next grade in school. New uniforms had to be stitched as we wouldn't fit into those uniforms stitched not very long time ago. Growing up also meant more to study as the curriculum would increase with every passing year. It also meant a lot of new goodies coming your way like the freedom to hang out with friends, having a sleep over at friend's place, going for a movie or to a restaurant or a mall with friends. That was so much fun and those are the days which everyone cherish in hindsight.

So what has changed now? Growing up to be an adult should have been more fun if we extrapolate the fun we had in our earlier years of our life, isn't it? Of course, the responsibility and commitment quotient has increased manifolds and now there are too many expectations from us in various segments of our life. No, we don't grow in height but the height of our ego does. As a child we would let go of things if we were told to do so. A "well brought up kid" was one who always listened to his elders and was immaculate in his behaviour. But is there any definition for a "well grown up adult". Well you may say the one who is successful, has a name in the society and things like that. On second thought, is it so? Shouldn't the person who is able to contain his ego and think of others before himself and who has the ability to grow up above and beyond the trivial issues of life take the crown?

By Anand Menda