Never Grow Up

I love Taylor Swift. She writes her songs from her own experiences and puts her heart into the lyrics. I feel them every time. The message of "Never Grow Up" (written by Taylor Swift from the album, Speak Now) hits home.

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light
To you everything's funny, you got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have, honey
If you could stay like that

Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart
And no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies
And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off
At 14 there's just so much you can't do
And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots
But don't make her drop you off around the block
Remember that she's getting older too
And don't lose the way that you dance around in your pj's getting ready for school

Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
No one's ever burned you, nothing's ever left you scarred
And even though you want to, just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs
I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment
In a big city, they just dropped me off
It's so much colder that I thought it would be
So I tuck myself in and turn my night light on

Wish I'd never grown up
I wish I'd never grown up
Oh I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
I could still be little
Oh I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
It could still be simple

Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
Won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heart
And even though you want to, please try to never grow up
Oh, don't you ever grow up
Oh, never grow up, just never grow up

Sometimes I wish that I've never grown up because things are complicated in an adult's life even if they shouldn't be. When I was younger, I wanted to grow up fast so that I can do whatever I want without my parents' permission. I thought I can better enjoy what the world can offer if I'm an adult. Obviously I was wrong. As I grew older, I lost track of the more important things because I was blinded by worldly obsessions.

Life is carefree, innocent, and simple in a kid's perspective. No need to worry about unnecessary things like impressing professors, saying the right things, properly composing oneself, or planning the future which may not even occur. Kids live in the present. They find joy from the simplest, random events in life - popping bubbles, eating candy, seeing a butterfly. They show affection to others without getting embarrassed. They don't worry about losing pride when they admit they miss and love someone. Everything is real and spontaneous.

Whenever I look at my nephews who are still so young, I see their innocence. It makes me sad whenever I realize that soon, years from now, that innocence would be robbed from them. I wish I could protect them and prevent cruelties of life from changing them but that's not possible. Years from now, they would also forget how it is to be a child...be spontaneous...be simple. That bothers me.

I hope we can all keep in touch with the child in us. On nights like this one, I wish I'd never grown up.