There are many aspects of life that may cause you to come of age, or grow up, faster than maybe God intended for you. Those aspects may be disillusionment, pain, loss, war, etc. We watched a movie called Persepolis as a class in the beginning of the year and it was about a girl living in the year 1978 as a 9 year old child during the Iran- Iraq War. She was sent away to a different country because she was more outspoken and her parents were afraid for her life if she began to stir things up. Having to deal with the war and being different from her own culture made her come of age. She had to see the realness and cruelty of the world.
Some people come of age faster than others, and different people come of age for different reasons. I can say I came of age when my grandfather died suddenly, but that would be false because I didn’t know him much. I was too young when he used to visit, but too say that I don’t miss him and that I don’t love him would still be untrue.
I think something that did help me to come of age though, was the death of one of my best friends last year in April. Her name was Daisy and she committed suicide. For a while after that, I was in a dark place although I hardly let it show. It is tough though to have to deal with the pain and loss. And I can say now that I am a different person because of what happened. That’s what it means to come of age, I think.
Hearing about your friend, Daisy, made me really sad. I am sorry that you experience that. I think my uncle's death when I was 9 made me grow up faster. The experience of pain and mortality really influences our perspective on life.
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