I thought we were grown at this age?.....

A couple of days ago as I was standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes, I let my mind wander as I often do while doing mindless tasks and a quote popped in my mind. It was something that a commencement speaker (I think he was an actor or news anchor..) said in his speech to a group of college graduates. His speech revolved around real life & the things that really happen in it. He said not to think that the petty squabbles from the playgrounds of their youth ended now that they were adults and headed out into the real world. He went on to explain about the never ending dramas in life & how it's all about how we deal with things if we're to be successful or happy. While I don't remember the commencement speaker or speech from my high school graduation (still working on that college degree) I remember parts of this one even though it wasn't mine & I wasn't there. It was the first time I can ever remember someone giving advice and it being something we could all use! I was pleasantly surprised and listened spellbound to him speak until the end of the news clip. I kept thinking over & over "I wish someone had told me that when I turned 18". 

I really do wish that. It would have saved me a lot of headaches & hurt feelings. I'm not sure where I got the idea that magically at the age of 18 we all turned into grown ups. I think it might have come from hearing almost everyone say "wait until you turn 18, you'll be grown & then you're on your own". That's the only thing I can think of that would have mislead me that way. 

Boy were they wrong!!! There is no magic age of enlightenment!

In the last 27 years I have met and, sometimes unfortunately, had to deal with many a child cleverly disguised as an adult. The drama. The damn drama! Good Lord! I've dealt with petty jealousies, lies & deceptions, people who tried to embarrass me, people who judged me, etc. At first, I thought maybe it was the people in the small town I was living in. A few years later I had the opportunity to move and realized "they" were there in the big cities too. It wasn't too bad. I've always tried to pick & choose who I wanted to hang around with and feel fairly successful having picked a few good friends who are there for me like I am there for them. I have, however, picked a few 'adult kids' too. I try to 'catch and release' those when they show up. lol

I've had a pretty peaceful year so far. Not a lot of drama to complain about, unless you count my dad, who is a drama queen in a man's body. My God! He is certainly something else! But I just realized today that in the 5 years I've lived in this house, I've had a neighbor who is an 'adult kid'. She is spoiled, coddled, haughty, and sometimes just plain nauseating. I really want to tell her just to grow the hell up sometimes. I mainly ignore her little digs and pretend I don't notice how she looks down on my family & friends and other people in our little town. (She tries to sound SO nice when she speaks TO people but let her get started on someone and.....barf...) Sometimes I just really want to let her have it! LOL She has no idea what some people are going through. She probably wouldn't understand since she has been spoiled since the day she was born! 

She has managed to pass this attitude down to her kids, which is sad. Now there's another damn generation of idiots out there annoying people who act their age & want to enjoy being adults. What's even worse is that she has a job that allows her a certain standing in the community because it holds a certain amount of respect in society.  She has the opportunity to influence others. I can only hope they haven't learned the lessons she is living everyday. She is around the same age as I am. I would have thought we'd all be grown ups at this age...

Truth is, we are, but some people are only grown up on the outside...