What it means to grow up

You know you’ve grown up when you stop playing pretend,

When you say goodbye to your imaginary friends.

When you’re little you pretend super powers make you real strong.

You pretend you’re feasts fillup tables, extending 20 feet long.

As adults we may not partake in these games,

But when facing hardships we pretend just the same.

Some might pretend that they’re strong, so not to show that they’re scared.

Others pretend to be friends that have cared.

I see the appeal and what draws people in

For playing pretend when you just need a win,

But to the people who hate or just don’t understand me

I will longer hide the only me that I can be.

So don’t mistake growing up with being older than others.

It doesn’t happen when becoming fathers or mothers.

You can be eighty or just twenty two.

Growing means you can finish pretending and start being you.