I recently read a fairly light-hearted article in the February issue of Psychology Today: What Does It Mean to Be a Grown-up? By Sue Sanders.
It made me think and evaluate myself, wondering if I am still in the process of growing up? I don’t think I’m there yet and not sure if I want to be.
Many years ago we moved across three provinces because of employment – from the prairies to the north coast of BC. It was a BIG move in my eyes and one of the hardest thing I have ever done but a life-changing experience. Culturally shocking moving from the flatlands to the rough northern coast, from seeing dusty farmers to burly beard-laden fisherman in their yellow rain-slickers. I wasn’t sure this was the life for me and it took me a couple of years to decide if I was going to remain there, but I did and think I am better for it.
Being a fairly light-hearted and optimistic individual to this day, there was lots of growing up to do back then being torn out of my comfort zone into a world of unknowns. The environment was very different; we didn’t know a soul and I didn’t have a shoulder to cry on because our family made a corporate decision to give it a two year trial period and not look back…and after twelve years there, I became more outgoing and ventured into entrepreneurial experiences I would never have pursued otherwise; I went back to university and honed my journalistic skills; I made a life-long friend; I saw parts of the world that I would never have seen like the Queen Charlotte Islands and Alaska, and at the end of it all, I became a much more independent and confident individual.
But to tell you the truth, I still don’t think I have grown-up yet. For sure I’m an adult and have to wear my big-girl panties for the most part, but my heart is still young. My mirror deceives me as I gaze into the face that stares back at me but I console myself, recognizing that life is a gift and for the living. There is still so much life to experience, to enjoy and to be thankful for. Every smile line and wrinkle was earned but I choose to continue to smile from the inside out…
To have a happy heart is one of the greatest blessings. To remain optimistic in a pandemic world is certainly not an easy situation for anyone but something to strive for. One thing is for sure, the world looks and feels so much better when the sun shines!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
