UP

When people think of the word 'up,' maybe they think of 'jump.' The motion of gaining height through bending and extending ones legs. And then there's 'up' like a balloon filled with helium, that floats and bobs for twelve hours. Perhaps, even, people think of home runs in baseball, thinking, "There it goes, up, up, up, and away!!!"


Have you noticed anything with these 'up' examples? Something they all have in common? Let me give you a hint; "What comes up, must come down." They are all temporary. None of these things last. You jump and hit the earth again. That balloon on its thirteenth hour sags, and next morning it's on the floor. The home run ball will hit a car over the stadium side, braking a window.


There is, however, one 'up' you can't avoid. One that will come no matter how much you want to avoid it, that can't be paused, stopped, swerved around or fought through. And it's no temporary matter. You can't ever change things back to the way they were after this hits. It's called, "Growing UP."


Grow up. Bills. Taxes. Marriage. Divorce. Kids. Houses. Pets. Mail. Dead Santa. Easter Bunny hunting. Family fueds. Cars. Jobs. And about a thousand other things.


After you're not a kid anymore, there's absolutely no going back. Even tweens and teens count in this category. You will never go back, there's no return date. You just keep going up. It won't slow, it won't stop, it won't wait while you go run in for a forgotten pair of socks. Once you're on this age train, there's no getting off until you're dead.


And yet, about sixty percent of children age twelve to seventeen say they are excited to move out. I myself am guilty of this. However, a realization hit me, producing this paper as well as convincing me of several things.


Don't get me wrong, no one wants to be that thirty year only living in their parents basement. You need to grow up and experience everything in life. My point, however, is not the growing up its self; it's the journey it takes to get there.


Adolescents, persons under the age of eighteen, can be seen now days with their attention glued to a phone screen. Phones are great now, don't misunderstand me, for this article is being written on an Apple product. Our problem is that we miss things. We miss our lives being hooked by a kitten flapping it's paws or a mom 'twerking' online. Everything in our being revolves around our phones, computers, social media, the works.


Social media only adds to our excitement to grow up. Parties? Yes. Drinking? Yeah, pretty much. Even filthy habits like smoking and drugs can and are portrayed like a good thing. It's hot and sexy and macho to smoke pot. Drinking yourself to oblivion is hilarious and encouraged.


So with the reasons I've listed, who wouldn't want to hit that eighteen mark and move out? But think of what I've said; Do you really want to miss you time on this earth, in this sweet age of possibility, being engrossed in Instagram and Twitter?


Imagine for a second, this scenario with me. Let's say that right now you're fourteen. Your first year of high school usually. So from freshman year to graduation; you're first failed test, your first relationship, first break up, first high school award, first high school team, first club, pep rallies, best friends, new best friends, football games, more relationships, parties, arguments, senior perks, graduation. See how quick it all goes?


So, overall, my point is this. Put down your phone for a second. Log off the computer for a bit. Get out of the house. You don't even have to call anyone. Go out, walk around town, go to a book store, climb a tree, sit on a swing. Take in what you've got now, because remember, it'll all be gone far too soon.