Age.... (Or. date 1/1/07)

Well, I officially turned 34 yesterday. 34.....I wonder....am I now supposed to be "all grown up"?? At what age are we supposed to do that? And what is the definition? I have two kids and have been married for almost 15 years. Is that grown up? I can say that I have been friends with Julie for 20 years. Is the fact that I have had a friend for that long qualify as grown up? I am around people everyday that hate their age. They hate that they are "old". I have been told my whole life "wait until your ___(fill in blank) and then you will see". Each time that I reach that age, I fail to see what there is to complain about. It seems that the older I get, the more I enjoy life. Oh sure....I am not as flexible, etc., as I once was. But "old"? I don't think so. As an adult, I do not have to get anyone's "permission". My family thinks that I am losing it. I have 3 tattoos and I am going to get my nose pierced. They are shocked. I say why? The older that I get, the more I am able to show just who I really am. I am a great mother and I hope that my husband would say that I am a great wife. I love them all with everything that I am. Isn't that what matters? We walk around in life "labeling" people and telling them what they should do and what they should look like at a certain age. I was told "you dress like you are younger". What does dressing "my age" look like exactly? I dress how I feel. If I like it, I buy it. So at what age is "grown up"? Is it supposed to be 34? Younger? I am not sure. If growing up means that I have to adhere to someone else's ideals of what a person should be.....well, I want no part of it. I am 34 years young and I love it!