Grow In

When I was a kid,
Love was pure and the world was bright,
My smiles and tears,
Not labeled by wrong and right,
Expectations,
Had not become my thorny crown,
Responsibilities,
Were not thrust to weigh me down,
My mistakes,
Never took my loved ones away,
My choices,
Didn't come at a cost I couldn't pay,
My thought,
Wasn't clouded by sanity,
My behavior,
Wasn't corrupted by humanity,
My wishes,
Were not killed by compromise,
My instincts,
Didn't fear the judgements of wise.
The kisses,
Were pristine and hugs comforting
Even the reprimand,
Wasn't meant to be so hurting,
Only later,
Was it that I realized,
I always got it wrong,
When the grown ups advised,
Grow up,
Is what they always said,
But Grow in,
Is what was meant I'm afraid