An "It's a Small World" Mentality in a Big, Grown-up World
or "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" (But Maybe I Have No Choice)

As a child, I always thought that, when I became an adult, I was still going to do the same things I did then, with the added bonuses of having a car and driving, getting married and having kids, all while continuing to depend on my parents for everything. (Naturally, I didn't consult my parents on the last part- I just assumed that it would be OK with them.) I wasn't going to change- I was just going to get older and taller, with no reponsibitlities to worry about.

Of course, over the years, that mentality has changed- quite a bit. As I've grown up, I realize just how much responsibilty there is in actually being an adult. You have things to do: working, paying the bills, laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc. And you can no longer act like a child. Plus, there's all the emotional stuff that we, as adults, must deal with: life, death, relationships, life's little ups and downs, knowing who we are and what we want. It's a big world out there, with a lot of problems and challenges! And, unlike a child, we can't go hiding behind Mommy or Daddy, knowing that they're going to save us.

So what do we do about it? Well, honestly, most of us have one of two reactions: we either whine about our "lot in life", wondering why it can't be any easier, or we freak out and shut down. (I've always been the freak out kind.) Very few of us always do what we should do in the first place, and that is to go to God.

When we do go to God, the whole world seems so much brighter, and, while it's not easier, it's better and we know that we can bear anything that happens. We learn that it's not what life throws at us, but how we react to it that matters. And it's all by the grace of God that He is patient enough with is to be there and help us learn that lesson- or series of lessons, if needed. Eventually, if we follow the Father, we discover that the world really isn't as big as it seems, not where God is concerned. He's way bigger than anything we could go through, and there's nothing He can't handle! If we let him, He'll get us throught it all, and take us on an amazing journey while we're at it. He's the one that will help us grow up- the way that He desires.

We also learn that there is much wisdom in a cheezy Disney song. Come on everybody, sing along!

"It's a world of laughter, a world of tears,
It's a world of hopes and a world of fears.
There's so much that we share,
that it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all!
It's a small world afterall!
It's a small world afterall!
It's a small world afterall!
It's a small, small world!"