Saying Goodbye to my Childhood

Today marks the last day that I am seventeen years old. When that clock ticks to midnight, I will say goodbye to childhood and hello to adulthood. What exactly do I gain by becoming eighteen? Sure, I can now vote. I can sign my own papers and won’t be a liability to the school. I can play the lottery. I can buy cigarettes. I can get a tattoo. I can buy a rifle or shotgun, the yahoo answers tells me. I am now going to be held responsible for my own actions. I can’t date guys who are under the age of 18. I can be charged as an adult if I commit a crime. So there we have it, tomorrow, I am going to buy myself a lottery ticket, get a tattoo (something big and offensive), get some cigarettes and do crazy things because I can. Don’t worry Mama and Papa; I’ll be the one who gets in trouble for it.

Of course that’s not happening. Why would I suddenly change as a person just because I am turning 18? Honestly, I have been left in charge of myself since my dad dropped me off for Trinity College. I have been making my own choices since August and the only difference is that tomorrow; the world will see me as having the right to make those choices I have been making all along.

Feeling inspired, I wrote this poem for some special people. It might be bad French but it expresses what I want to say. No way would I be here today without the help I have received along the way. This is a tribute to my family, my parents, sisters and cousins. I am become an adult tomorrow but I know that I’ll always be that crazy kid, sister, niece or cousin that you have always known.

Aujourd'hui j'ai 18 ans

Le monde me dit que je suis une adulte.

Oui, je sais que j' ai le droit de vote

et plus, je peux signer mes papiers

mais a la meme temps,

vous soyez toujours mes parents, ma famille

et je sais que je suis rien sans ma famille.

Je veux faire la difference dans ce monde

Je veux quitter la maison pour voir ce que le monde offre.

Je vais faire des betises,

C'est possible que je vais faire ou dire les choses stupides.

Je suis humaine

Je ne suis pas sure ce que je vais faire avec ma vie

mais j'ai ma famille, mes amis, et Dieu

et ca c'est suffit