Growing Pains

When does one truly become a grown up? Is it when we leave the confines of our parents homes? Is it when we have our first full time job? Or is it when we finally learn that the world is not revolving around us? (I know Drew...it still revolves around you, and that's okay.) I consider myself a grown up, in the sense that I have been financially independent of my parents since I was approximately 16 years old and I have had a job for just as long. I have always been responsible for my own money, my own possesions and my own needs. I bought my first car when I was 19 and have recently purchased my second. But does that make me an adult? I have worked full time for 5 years (when you count that a year of that was two part time jobs and a year was a part time, plus a full time) and have recently begun attending college full time. I have a hard time saying that makes me an adult either. Seriously, have you seen some of the college 'kids' in this town? Definately, NOT grown ups. I guess my question is, when do we finally reach that point where the childish games stop and the grown up mentality takes hold? Are we always going to have an inner child, or inner teenager for that matter? People always say that we should embrace our inner child, give it a hug!! But is there ever a point when we should just let our inner child grow up? I personally, don't ever want to let go of my inner child. That's where our innocence lives, our curiosity and enthusiasm for life. My inner teenager, however, can take a hike. That is where our petty 'he said, she said' side lives. This is our vindictive, selfish, egotistical side. I also think there are those of us who have an inner elder. haha! That's me. I have one of those. This is the side of us that can't just stop to have a good time. We always have to think of the future and always do what's right and what makes the masses happy. We get irritated quickly with the inner teenager of others and can't imagine why they aren't as mature as we are. Then, our inner child runs up, kicks us in the shins, and it becomes an all out brawl. Giggling, smiling and screeching with delight. *sigh* Thank God, the kid is back. I fear there are some people who may never grow away from their inner teenager, and that's a very scary thought. But have you seen the grown men who play squirt guns with their kids in the front yard? Or the mom who makes really messy sloppy joes because she knows that's how her kids like them? Those kind of people are great. Their 'teenager' has long ago moved out and their inner child never grows a day older. I'm tired of my teenager and wish terribly that she would run away.