I thought I grew up fast. I thought it meant responsibility and paying bills.
I thought it meant living on your own, living the dream, living life the way you wanted. I thought it meant setting your own rules. I thought it meant standing on your own two feet and fighting the good fight. I thought it meant going on the adventure only the movies portray.

I thought I grew up fast. Because I saw things no child should have had to have seen. Because even though I was broken I could still make others smile. Because I had to feed myself, no one else was going to. Because I did the chores without being asked. Because I was responsible. Because I was ahead of my years.

I thought I grew up fast. At 14, I cared what others thought of me. At 15, I realized everyone felt the same way and didn't actually have time to truly judge me. At 16, I realized no one could look past 25 let alone set life goals. At 18, I realized the adults in my life were just making it up as it goes. At 18, I became a legal adult which I soon realized, didn't mean much.

I thought I grew up fast. Growing up doesn't mean responsibility and paying bills.
Growing up doesn't mean living on your own, living the dream, living life the way you wanted. Growing up doesn't mean setting your own rules. Growing up doesn't mean standing on your own two feet and fighting the good fight. Growing up doesn't mean going on the adventure only the movies portray. Growing up leads to the same final stanza for everyone.

2014 death
2017 death
2019 death
2019 death
2019 death

Growing up means watching the people in your life die. Growing up means somehow existing knowing, soon you will be next.