…and now I’m a senior

I read a blog post the other day questioning the common sociological definition of adulthood. Instead of relying on the prevailing standard that says a true adult has finished school, left home and become financially independent, gotten married and had a kid, this blogger relayed a Willow Creek church leader’s suggestion that an adult is one who has come to understand five truths…

Rohr’s list of five promises that define true adulthood is what he says gives a person the ability to live in the world as a grown up.

The promises include:

1. Life is hard.
2. You are not that important.
3. Your life is not about you.
4. You’re not in control.
5. You’re going to die.

Funny thing: My parents have been telling me for years that “life isn’t fair, get used to it.” And they’ve been right, as far as I can tell. Life doesn’t come easy, nor does it always shake out the way it “ought” to.

(Not fair! The puppy likes her better than me!)

As for the other four truths, well, of course I’m going to say I think I’ve come to understand them too. But I’m sure that come, say, thirty years from now, I’ll look back and shake my head in amusement at how young I really was… am.

My career at MVNU is drawing to a close in just a few weeks. I’ll be a *gasp* college graduate. I think I’ve grown in many ways since I was that freshman with so much time on her hands—not the least being passing my 18th and 21st birthdays while in college. And after commencement on May 21st, I’ll have passed yet another milestone of adulthood.

But growing up, becoming an adult, isn’t just about celebrating a birthday or marking a milestone. It’s about maturity—it’s about understanding life’s universal truths. And I think I’m headed in the right direction.

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