Have you ever come across, or been in the middle of a time where you’ve stopped and thought, “Hmm…you know what, perhaps this is what it means to be a grown up?” In my ever-present denial of my own adulthood status, these occurances happen perhaps more frequently than others. But nonetheless I think i’m able to garner from them at least a minor token of wisdom.

Tonight I got an email from someone close to me about something that is really hurtful to me. I want to be maniacly upset. I want to be ravingly pissed and vindictive. I want to scream about my bruised pride and overlooked feelings, yadda yadda from snowy mountaintops (hell, mildly rotund hills would suffice, to be honest). But yet there is some part of me, some overarching adult “check loop” that is not usually there, saving me from my childish inclinations.

Yea, yea i know. Cue the parade and fanfare because I’m learning to act like an adult, right? Well, it feels like a big deal to me that instead of really holding this tragic infarction of a friendship against this other person, I’m just gonna shrug it off. No, not completely…I did let this person know (in a calm fashion i’ll have you know) that I was hurt but that i’m not upset and that it doesn’t change anything between us. This is incredible! Seriously though…when this all happened it was like waiting for an expected response from myself…and when it didn’t come it was as if i was viewing myself from the outside and saying “what? that’s it? no drama? no fireworks!?!” Quite confusing, but a nice, subtle reminder that time does move on, and I can grow to be an adult in small baby steps from time to time.

So while I learn to work on my fear of confrontation at restaurants (“no, i swear everything’s ok…this is *exactly* what i ordered ”) and other public situations, at least i’ve conqured this molehill.

The Art of Picking Battles…was anyone else privy to this ancient technique practiced by the wise elders of our civilization? Damn, I missed out again…