On Becoming a Grown-Up
How the passing of a friend inspired me to step proudly into responsibility
Perhaps this is the best kind of holiday — standing at the precipice of the future, looking out at the vast possibility of what is to come, and stopping for a moment before plunging down the roller coaster of life. Taking time to fix things that need to be fixed before embarking upon a vastly different but equally exciting adventure.
I just found out a dear friend passed away today. She was 18 years older than me but always treated me as a peer. She patiently nodded in response to all the perceived drama of my being a 26-year-old in New York and graciously joined in the silly practical jokes of the “kids” in our cast.
She was cool and fun, but always firm about drawing the line when things got out of hand. She was a grown-up, yet treated me as an equal when I was (and acted like a kid). We even called her Mama Becca.
I am getting close to the age she was when we met. I think that now is the time to let Becca’s grown-up but impish radiance carry on through me. It’s time to finally grow up. It’s time to be gracious and fun but firm. It’s time to create and uphold boundaries and responsibilities. It’s time to be a ‘Mama Becca’ to a new generation.
