GROWING UP

A tale it has been From kindergarten days When the anthem was, “When I grow up" It was a passion To grow To live the life we dreamed of. And then time arrived, Unfolding its quiet mysteries, Revealing that growing old Is not the same as growing up Growing is adaptation. It is learning from flaws and mistakes. It is shifting perspective And refining perception. It is understanding That at times silence is the best conversation That privacy is power That kindness is not weakness. It is accepting That time is an absolute That freedom has a price That tomorrow is not guaranteed To grow up is not merely to age. To grow up is to discern What you deserve And what deserves your time It is to realise We are what we take To understand excellence never stems from mediocrity To grow up is to live Deliberately And with intentions