Why I'm Loving Adulthood

It seems like throwback posts to our days as kids are everywhere these days. I feel like I see a new "Things We Miss About the '90s" article every day. It's as if we're all collectively longing for our simpler, childhood days. Days we spent watching Disney Channel and playing Nintendo, back when we didn't have to do things like go to work and pay bills.

Let's be honest: being an adult isn't as glamorous as we used to think it was when we were kids. Real adulthood is messy and tough and sometimes downright boring. I mean, real adults can't escape things like filing taxes and standing in line for hours at the DPS office. But you know what? I don't want to spend my life complaining about all the not-so-great stuff about being an adult. Because there are a lot of things I'm loving about this new season of responsibility. And I hope that focusing on them will make the other not-so-glamorous stuff not seem so bad.

These are just a few of the normal, everyday things I love about being a "real" adult.

1. Grocery Shopping

Honestly, I've always loved grocery shopping. When I was a kid, it was comparable to being in a toy store- except I got to eat the delicious things people bought me! Of course now I have to pay for my own food. But I still love the experience of grocery shopping. There is something so calming about walking down wide aisles with nothing but myself and a shopping list. It kind of makes me feel like everything in my life is where it's supposed to be- even though it's usually not! I'm also a fan of people-watching (in a totally non creepy way ;) so I love that grocery stores are full of all types of people just being normal, buying the food they need to get through the week.

2. Driving

Okay, maybe not in rush-hour traffic. But taking long drives alone is one of my favorite things. I've actually had some of the best conversations with God on drives like that, with nothing but my favorite worship music and the open road to keep me entertained. I am also a fan of the fact that I get to drive, that I get to be independent and take myself wherever I need to go. I mean, do you realize what a privilege we have to get to do that? We can literally drive ourselves to go get food, buy new clothes, or hang out with friends practically whenever we want. I love the independence that driving allows. It's something this introvert never wants to take for granted ;)

3. Saying yes (and no)

Even though there are lots of new responsibilities we must face as we grow older, the fact is that there's also a lot of independence. When you become an adult, you become the one in control of your decisions, which means you decide what adventures, relationships, and goals you're going to say yes to- and also those you'll say no to. There is such freedom in that. It's a beautiful thing to get to create a lifestyle that is ultimately our own, defined by our priorities and pursuits. Of course as a Christian we ultimately seek God's will. But I think God loves it when we follow the dreams of our heart because it means we are doing what He put us on this earth to do.

Creating a life for yourself is a beautiful, creative endeavor. Yes, there is mess and complications in the midst of it- that's inevitable. But I don't want to miss the beauty of it, the great and wonderful privilege that we get to live life. It's worth the bills and the traffic and yes, even the long DPS lines. ;)

#life #2016