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Thursday 14 December 2017

Reflections on Growing Up: Watching a Childhood Friend Get Married

love, wedding, growing-up

Back in September, I attended the wedding of someone I went to school with.

'Congratulations to the happy couple, but why is that a big deal,' I hear you ask. Well, in itself, it isn't. Weddings are just part and parcel of life, a happy union between two people in love. They're romantic, they're sweet, and they're a fun social event offering a chance to catch up with people you rarely see.

So, with that in mind, why was this particular wedding different?

The answer to that question is a simple one, yet one which I think many people will be able to relate to - this was the first person from my close circle of friends to tie the knot.

The moment that someone in your friendship group takes the plunge and walks down the aisle, the dynamic of the whole group changes. No longer are you a group of young people reminiscing about old times and teenage years, chasing after hopes and dreams and still working on finding your footing in life. Instead, people are starting to settle down, find partners, buy houses and, now, get married.

Of course, marriage is a big commitment, and it's great when a person you care about finds someone to spend the rest of their life with. You're over the moon for them, ready to celebrate alongside them as they exchange rings and begin the next stage of their lives together.

But in the back of your mind, there's that niggling thought - no longer are you children or teenagers, your childhood is gone forever and as a group, you're now entering the next phase of life.

A post shared by Lorna Holland (@themaxdog) on

Growing up is a strange concept; something that is as familiar as navigating the streets of your hometown yet completely new, uncharted territory. As life goes by it's easy to forget that we're getting older - our bodies age while our minds remain unchanged. Often, years can pass without you really understanding how different things have become.

I don't think anyone really realises that they've grown up until moments like this when the thought suddenly crosses your mind, completely contrary and out of the blue, yet blindingly truthful. Growing up isn't reaching a certain age or doing a particular thing; growing up is the realisation that you've come to the next stage of your life.

As we all sat there enjoying that warm September evening, dressed in our finery, laughing, talking and clinking glasses, that was the moment when it hit me - like it or not, adulthood has arrived.

What do you think? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!

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