Adults

When do I become an adult
And if I become one
Do I stay that way?

Is it a state of mind
Like being high
That I can slip in and out of
When it wears off
Go back to my childish ways

And then do I make a decision
To be an adult again
I do my laundry and pay my bills
It’s a fluid motion, a negotiation
Perhaps it happens at a certain age
When I have children, get married
Or reach a certain stage
I know many people who own a house
Have pets and a spouse
But certainly have not figured it out
Maybe it’s when I can rent a car
Vote, smoke, and go to a bar

Maybe no one is an adult
It’s just a made-up idea
A word we play with
Trying to be something that we’re not
Do I become an adult when I have responsibility
Show up to work, participate in society
And give up adulting when
I do drugs and smoke pot
But it’s okay for adults to gamble
Get drunk, argue with kids on the internet
I guess we’re not done growing yet

What does it mean to be fully grown
Developed
Does it mean that I own property
Save money and achieve financial security
Or does it just have to do with my body?
What about those that never grow fully
Must I be fully grown mentally, emotionally?

And do I stay there permanently
This state of being grown
I looked it up in the dictionary
But I still don’t know

Who made the rules about being an adult
Perhaps it’s emotional maturity
When I do something wrong
I admit It is my fault
The ability to communicate appropriately
Or maybe it’s a declaration
A decision we make arbitrarily

I’m an adult when I say I’m one
For we are never done
Growing, evolving
No matter the age
Maybe I can be an adult at any stage

Or perhaps I became one and I didn’t even know
It happened when I wasn’t looking
Through my life experience
My highs and lows
Day to day
My actions will show
If I’m adulting

As I move through time
The more I find
That no one really knows
What they are doing