You grew up, didn't you?

You grew up, didn't you?

Sipping coffee by the window on a quiet evening, chosing to spend your time alone in peace, instead of making plans for a wild Saturday night, you grew up didn't you? You used to dread going out alone, but now you like taking yourself out on dates, going shopping by yourself. Oh, you have loved ones, you do, some amazing ones too, but you like to reserve sometime to spend with your own self sometimes. When did the epiphany happen? When you found yourself alone in a crowd of people you think are your friends, but don't connect with anymore? When you craved to get to know yourself better in the middle of a busy day? When you found yourselves laughing with somebody in a social setting but couldn't convince yourself it was indeed that funny?

From jumping in puddles to hiding under an umbrella, you grew up slowly, didn't you? From crying over bruised knees to healing your own broken dreams, you transitioned into a grown up quietly. From lamenting a glass of milk because it didn't taste good, to gulping shots of bitter alcohol one after the other, you grew up! You would never talk to people you didn't like, making faces at them sometimes. You smile at those kinds now, putting on an extra wide fake smile, being nice to them, to survive in a world where it's not how you feel that matters, its how you deal with those feelings, that does.

When a hundred rupee note could last for months, and elated you to no end, did you ever imagine you'd grow up to earn several thousands yet not be satisfied? You made castles out of cardboard boxes, snuggled with a blanket inside empty ones. Now all you're told is to think out of the box. You now silence the child in you that wonders why you'd want to think outside a box that has an incredible world of its own inside. You'd fall asleep on the sofa, and end up waking up on your bed tucked inside a blanket the next morning. Do you miss those days when you count sheep to fall asleep now? From laughing out loud playing with mud getting yourself dirty, to getting your mind overworked on codes in a cubicle, you grew up, didn't you? Instant noodles were reserved for special days when you were given the permission to eat unhealthy, once a while. Funny how that luxury turned into a survival tool now. You'd flaunt the same new dress for days, and now you stand in front of your wardrobe frustrated, having 'nothing' to wear. From crying on your birthday over a cake that smudged on the sides of the box, to getting your face smashed into the cake now, from chasing bubbles to living in one, you grew up and how! You couldn't wait to grow up when you were younger. You laughed at people who said you will miss your childhood when you grow up. “Too philosophical they try to sound” you thought. Look at you now, giving the same advise to the little ones around you.

Festivals that you wished to celebrate once, you look forward to them today, to take long leaves and run away from routine. From fretting over the slightest loss, to handling life's surprises; shocks more often, you grew up! Remember when you used to look at people with bling and money and think that's success. You ignore them now and take the ones with inner peace and happiness as your role models. You grew up didn't you? When you realised money is important, but absolutely worthless without happiness? From being worried by your elders, to now worrying about them, you grew up. With time, your friends got less in number, but the bond you share with the ones who stay only got deeper. From hoping to find someone to fall in love with, to endlessly in love with your own self, from reading epic stories, to writing your own ones, from learning about life, to mastering the one you have, you've come a long way.

No matter how crazy and confused it looks sometimes, you wouldn't have it any other way, would you? When you chose to live this wonderful life with a smile, no matter how challenging it seems, you grew up didn't you?