Friday 9 May 2014

(DA) Functioning Adults

This post came from a coffee shop conversation I had with my best friend a while ago.

We're at the age where we're starting to be recognized as adults. In our heads we've been "adults" since we were 16, but now society actually sees us as adults and expects certain things from us, and we're starting to notice.

She was joking when she said it, but her comment was something like "I'm not a functioning adult yet. I look like it but I'm not." I asked for clarification and we had a good laugh at her answer. She said, "I still live with my parents, I don't drive, I don't have a job, I know every line to Disney songs and I have no idea how to file my own taxes."

I laughed long and hard at the last one "taxes", until I realized I don't know how to file my own taxes either. This friend is the last person I would ever classify as "not" a functional adult. She's one of the brightest, most creative and clever women I know with a great head on her shoulders. Yes she lives at home, and she doesn't drive but that's a personal choice, AND she's been hired with a great company since we had this conversation.

No, neither of us has looked up how to file our own taxes yet, but we'll get there.

Baby steps. But I found the idea of a "Functioning Adult" interesting. What makes you a functioning adult? Does having a job make you qualify? How about living on your own?

I think it's much more than that. Perhaps it's knowing the difference between right and wrong. Having goals and respect for yourself. Having the awareness to seek out who you are and strive for more.

What do you think?

-Brandolyn

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