Everyone tells you not to grow up too fast. Growing up or older is a strange concept that takes on a new meaning as you age. When you’re young, it seems unobtainable as time passes slower. As you grow older, you begin to wonder where all the time went. My grandad always told my mom and her siblings, “Don’t wish your life away.” Growing up and being an adult seems like the most significant thing when you are younger (no bedtime, no parents rules, no school, etc.). However, once you get there, you’d give anything to have just one more day as a young person.
The concept of growing up is a familiar one. In fact, many songwriters have written about their own interpretations. For example:

Ben Folds wrote: “Everybody knows it sucks to grow up…” (Still Fighting It)

Lorde wrote: “Growing up a little at a time then all at once…” (Secrets From The Girl Who’s Seen It All)

Fleetwood Mac wrote:
“Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m getting older too” (Landslide)

Green Day wrote:
“Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why
It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time” (Good Riddance)

As you can see, there is a genuine fascination with growing older. It seems to take forever, and then you blink, and it feels like it has gone too fast. We as humans are intrigued by this because we know time is something we can never get back. It is fleeting, and all we can do is make the most of each moment. This is where gratitude becomes so essential. Be thankful for your time, and don’t waste it on social media or binging on your favorite show. Those will never be the memories you look back upon with joy. In fact, do they become memories at all, or if they blend into the background?

I want to get out there and seize the heck out of the moment. Although I hate to be a downer, we do not know how much time we have left in this life. Would you rather spend it making memories or consumed by a device? We all can see the clear answer here. Check out this awesome video by Gary Turk below, which personifies precisely what I am talking about.