Are We All Just Masquerading As Adults? I Think So
Are we all just masquerading as adults? I think so.
“When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” -C.S. Lewis
I don’t feel like an adult. I’m not sure when exactly that feeling is supposed to kick in; I’m 38 and not feeling it yet. My mom is 74. She says she’s still waiting too.
When I was teaching and I was faced with a difficult situation, I’d often jokingly shout, “I need an adult.” The kids would say, “But Ms. Galyen, you are an adult.” My reply, “I don’t know who told you that, but they’re misinformed.”
I rarely manage to do all the “adult” things that I’m supposed to do every day just to keep my body and family in functioning form; the list is so daunting and decidedly unfun. Wake up, brush teeth, wash face, put on sunscreen, take 1800 pills, drink a glass of water, eat a healthy breakfast, make the bed. Then I’m supposed to work all day, pick the offspring, come home, cook a healthy meal, do chores, work out, shower, brush my teeth and wash my face again, take more pills and get to bed on time. And doing this every single day? Ugh, gross.
On top of all those daily things, I have to make appointments and take myself and my daughter to various doctors and dentists, pay bills, mow the grass, pull the weeds, get my house and car fixed, do infinite laundry…it’s all so tedious.
It’s virtually impossible to get all of these things done every day. Let me tell you a secret. Most of us don’t.
When we go to our friends’ clean, greige houses, it might seem like they have this whole “adulting” thing down. I bet if you opened a closet, hastily stashed kids’ sporting equipment would tumble out. $10 says if you opened the washing machine, you’d find laundry that was meant for the dryer days ago. I think we’re all pretty much just winging it.
The best way to infuse daily wonder and joy into this boring adult grind? Make time for “childish things.”
I recently decided to buy my daughter (who has never once showed an interest in stuffed animals) a Squishmallow. She loved it immediately. So I waited for her to leave the room to see what all the fuss was about. I snuggled up on the couch with that thing and was asleep in two minutes flat. Upon waking from what was an absolutely glorious nap, I went right to the store and bought an additional Squishmallow because from that point forward, Hans was MINE. I relinquished my expensive orthopedic pillow from Relax the Back and employed Hans as my permanent head pillow from that point forward.
Actual photo of Hans on my unmade bed
Inspired by the amount of joy Hans brought me in both comfort and adorableness, I decided he needed some woodland-style company. Having just recently learned what a duvet cover is, I decided to look for one on Amazon. The offerings did not disappoint. So now, Hans and his sloth friends keep me comfy at night while nurturing my sense of cuteness and whimsy.
The sloth duvet cover I bought. This is obviously a stock photo. Mine is on an unmade bed covered in cat hair.
Recently I was at Five Below and they had a “color your own sticker” book and obviously I couldn’t leave without it. So now, when I’m stressed or on a long conference call, I whip that puppy out and color myself a silly little sticker…and then I put it in my planner along with my ever-growing adult to-do list.
My planner with colored pet stickers (also, that dog looks exactly like Mr. Peanut Butter)
I buy a lot of my t-shirts from TeeTurtle. Yesterday I went to the gym in a pink one that featured a cartoon unicorn icing cupcakes. Unicorns are colorful and magical and remind me of what we should focus on in life. The magic. The whimsy. The possibility of being able to fart glitter.
Enjoying these “childish” things makes me happy. When I’m happy, I get more accomplished. When I get more accomplished, I feel a little more like a functioning “adult.” So I think the key to being an adult is to never forget how to enjoy the wonder and magic of being a kid.
