Definition Essay: Growing Up

English: What is being a grown up for you? A few days back, I saw a controversial music video from an artist, who was once known for her wholesome image. In the video her clothes were very vulgar, and their choreography was provocative. Her song involved references to partying, alcohol, and drugs. As I scrolled down to read the comments, I came upon one that said: “Get lost! Give her a break, she grew up”. This statement I found a mockery to the concept of “being a grown up”. Growing up is not about learning to curse, getting drunk, or getting high, when you are not a minor any more. It isn’t disobeying and rebelling against everything that your parents once instilled in you simply because when you’re eighteen and above, you supposedly can. It doesn’t even mean knowing everything about anything. Growing up, is learning to see life more clearly and being more mature in handling it. It is being in control of life, and knowing which direction to take. It is being at peace with who you are as a person and learning to establish within you the right set of values. It doesn’t stop there for it also includes, being responsible enough to stand by your principles at any given circumstance. It is letting go of pride by accepting mistakes when you are wrong, and being open to other people’s opinions. It is learning to love and serve your fellows selflessly. It is having the courage to always be the better person when in the middle of an argument. It is most of all, having earned wisdom, and knowing its difference from mere knowledge. The grown ups are not necessarily the ones in office suits walking around in Wall Street. The grown ups may be anyone from the elderly people to the youngest of kids. Why? This is because maturity is not in our age; the number of years, wrinkles, and white hair strands, rather it is in our being. As the adage goes “Age is the acceptance of a term of years. But maturity is the glory of years. (Graham, M.)”