When was the first time you really felt like a grown-up (if ever)? – Nice question from the daily prompt.

At 9 years old, a few men walked up to me at my father’s funeral and said, “You’re the man of the house now.” That wasn’t right, and I didn’t feel it. But it was the beginning of growing up at a younger age, from that point I began to feel I was growing up faster.

I had older friends and started to get into grown-up things at a young age. But still, I wasn’t a grown-up. I wasn’t grown up when Mom let me drive before I had my license.

I wasn’t grown up when I started working at a young age. I wasn’t grown up when graduating high school. I wasn’t grown-up in my first year of college or my first professional job in Newspapers.

I started to feel like I was growing up when I got married in my early 20s. When having children several years later the feeling grew stronger. As they grew from infants to young adults in a blink of an eye I still felt there was still room before I was grown up.

I guess it was when my Mother and then Father in-law followed quickly by my Mother in-law all passed, that the mantle of the family was moved to us. Now having grandchildren in recent years I kind of feel like the cycle may be complete.

Now my better half may still dispute this assessment above. For only a year or two ago she got me a sign for my office. It reads – I’m an Adult, but not like a real adult. And yes it’s in bold like that on the sign.

And if this past weekend was any example I probably still have some room to grow. As my better half would add, I’m a perpetual 18-year-old.

Other responses to grown-up feelings