C.S. Lewis famously wrote “When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” As a kid, this might seem incomprehensible, since kid-stuff pales in comparison to the massive amount of options adults have.

Many people are hit with a sense of disappointment when they reach adulthood. Yeah, you are “free,” but now you have bills to pay, responsibilities, the dishes, the laundry and whatever other never-ending list of chores one has to deal with daily.

However, most folks will also discover the joys of adulthood. That freedom is still a wonderful feeling, something that you almost take for granted until, for example, you visit your parents house and start to remember all the rules that once dictated your life. There is nothing like coming home to your favorite stove top burner and putting away dishes your way.

It’s also pretty illuminating to start truly learning things yourself. Often this comes from experience, but it’s still useful. Young-adult-hood is about making mistakes and getting certain things “out of your system.” We might cringe at our younger selves, but it was a learning period at the end of the day.