That Lonesome Road of Life

Think about this: There was a time in your life that your parents picked you up, held you, set you back down and never picked you up again.

Do you feel old now? Welcome to my world.

With graduation looming ever nearer, adulthood becomes inevitable (save the possibility of grad school but that's another subject to accrue debt over).  Job hunts are not as fun as hide-n-seek used to be, that's for certain.  It feels more like a corporate version of red light/green light.  I won't even mention student loans and their sick version of freeze tag.

But you're never too old for gummy bears so I got that going for me.

Ever notice at graduations that the old poem by Robert Frost called "The Road Not Taken", is over-read?  Okay, we get it. You took the road that wanted wear and then you got so lost you couldn't come back. Why don't you just come out and admit you procrastinated on your homework?

But it is quite often read as a tale of regret. It mourns the decision to take a certain path without ever finding out what happened on the other path. How appropriate for graduations.

Honestly, I feel that a certain passage from A.A. Milne would be a smidgen more appropriate:
“Pooh," said Rabbit kindly, "you haven't any brain." 
"I know," said Pooh humbly.”

That says it all right there.

It doesn't take much of a brain to admit that like it or not, I have to grow up sometime. Now that I'm almost done with college and getting jobs and things I suppose now is as good a time as any. Time for me to put off the childish things and actually become a mature human being.

Wait, there's good news.

I was talking with a buddy of mine in Nashville couple weeks back (I hate to drop names so I'll be as ambiguous as I Kanye). We both strayed from our conversation to lament about how adulthood comes sooner than you expect. My friend pointed out that as a banjo picker (psyche!) he technically never grew up either. That brought up an interesting point:

We have to grow up, but that doesn't mean we have to lose our childlike spirit! As long as we have a desire to grow, we are still as children and we have the curiosity and fiery passion to learn more. Growing up is mandatory, but losing the child in you isn't.

And so it is this cycle of growing and staying young that puts one foot in front of the other on this road that wants wear. Only you can walk the road of life. I can't do it for you.

So now is the time for the announcement! I've finally grown up and am a little kid again! Let's celebrate with an apple juice and a nap while we sing our favorite VeggieTales songs...right after I get home from work!