You’re a Grown-Up

Dear Reader,

Today, my job took me to a Halloween party at an apartment building in Cambridge. Upon entry into the lovely modern lobby, my team was ushered upstairs to the community room. The area was decked out from floor to ceiling in cobwebs, lights, and other spooky touches. This building certainly went all-out for the holiday.

The event was so wholesome. Little kids ran around excitedly in their costumes. Families enjoyed pizza and chatted with one another. It was such a lovely scene, much unlike the Halloweens that I have experienced in recent years (filled with keg-stands, beer bongs, and costumes that would make your grandma cringe).

I stood by our table adorned with its own cobwebs and plastic spiders. Sometime during the evening a little girl in a unicorn costume ran up to me and asked if I could open a Jolly Ranger lollipop for her. I said, “of course!” and proceeded to attempt to slip apart the tightly sealed plastic. It initially gave me some trouble and I off-handily remarked that the wrapping was a “little tricky.” The little girl responded to my comment by saying, “that’s okay. You can do it, because you’re a grown-up.”

Dear Reader, never have a felt so old. I’m a female in my mid-20s and I was already lumped into the large, indiscriminate category of “grown-up.” I guess when you’re a seven-year old girl, it doesn’t really matter how old the adult-looking person is.

Even though I had mixed feelings about the comment, it ultimately made me feel good. I was able to help that little girl tonight because I was a capable “grown-up.” Dear Reader, if you’re feeling anxious, or sad, or not-too-good about things, I just want to remind you that “you can do it because you’re a grown-up” 😉

Love,

Raven