The Ancient Vault: The Day I Turned 18

(This post was written in 2003. It is part of the blog's one year anniversary celebration.)

The day you turn 18 is supposed to be the day the REAL fun begins. Alcohol companies are supposed to be standing outside my door waiting to lure me into their luxurious brands. Tobacco manufacturers are purported to hold secret parties at McDonalds after midnight as a welcome for their future 'patrons'. But as I sit here, in a meditation retreat, writing this article using pen and paper (a first), I start to wonder… "What does it all mean?"

Turning 18 tomorrow, it does not really impact me that I will soon become what the government calls "responsible adults". To me, I became one soon after 13. If I were a supreme ruler of all things living and moving, I would change the legal age to 13. After all, most of us have experienced one or more of the following 'adult' phenomena by the time we reach 13:

1. Boy-girl relationship (Applies to boy-boy and girl-girl)
2. "Sexperimentation" (Need I say more?)
3. Alcohol consumption (Even a teeny-tiny bit)
4. Not wanting to be their age (A universal truth)
5. Shaving (Both genders)
6. Tobacco (Minority, but statistics show that most smokers start young)

Therefore, I really think turning 18 is not a big deal. I do not expect the monks to chant "Happy Birthday" tomorrow morning. If they DO, I'm relocating. To me, turning 18 means edging another year towards the unavoidable frontier of taxes, EPF and credit card bills. Or if I'm less lucky, divorces as well.

In the end, being 18 is just another age for me. Nothing extraordinary - no fireworks and wild parties. Just more homework and mundane responsibilities.

Wow, that rhymes!