All grown-ups were once children.

We often forget how much growing up we have done since the days when we were children. We often forget what it was like to look up to our parents and other grown-ups around us and take everything they said at face value. As children, we rarely stopped to question things; instead, we followed the rules set out for us without a second thought.

But as we’ve gotten older, we’ve grown in wisdom and insight that has allowed us to develop our own opinions and draw our own conclusions about life. In a way, this growing awareness is what distinguishes a child from an adult – we’ve developed our minds beyond that of childhood, no matter how much time has passed since then.

This doesn’t mean that being an adult is necessarily easier than being a child; sometimes life throws more difficult situations our way with age. But even so, maturity brings with it more resilience and understanding that helps us navigate these times with strength and confidence.

Although all grown-ups were once children, those who can recognize their former selves are the ones who truly understand how far they’ve come. They may not be the same person they were before, but they carry their experiences of both childhood and adulthood with them each day – reminders of how far they have come on their journey through life.