getting older, growing up

Lately, I've been seeing a theme of getting older and growing up. . .

• The puppies are over 20 weeks old. They have officially been with us more than half their lives.

• I've been driving. To Bible study. To church youth events. To dance. It's handy, but still gives me a slightly strange feeling.  

• I've begun my junior year of high school. I'm doing pre-calculus, world history and literature, chemistry, and do I really just have two years left of high school?! 

• I finished reading The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr. It is about a girl who spends the book trying to recognize herself as the protagonist of her story. Interesting to see her growth. 

• I am currently reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. One of it's main characters is a French girl, Paloma, who doesn't see any reason to become an adult. 

I've been thinking about the relationship between getting older and growing up. They go hand in hand, but I don't think they are synonymous. I think getting older occurs because of the physical consequences of time, where as growing up occurs through the mental maturity resulting in wisdom.

If those definitions are valid, I agree with the little French girl. There is no point in becoming an adult if it means simply getting older.

I'll happily get older, however, if I also grow up.


(hoping I don't lose any wisdom when all four of my wisdom teeth are removed this weekend. . . :)