When no one else took care of me when something went wrong.

Maybe after 2 kids? Or around when I got married? It definitely wasn’t before my wife came along. If you ask her, she might say she’s still waiting. I don’t know. I still feel like a kid even though I have a lot of responsibilities and my body says otherwise.

The pint of ice cream in my freezer that I take tiny bowlfuls of on occasional evenings. After all, I deserved it.

Weeding the grass and feeling good about it

Moving into my own apartment mainly.

But also: politicians and other celebrities being younger than me.

(I mean of course Justin Bieber is younger than me and has been a celebrity for a long time, but that used to be the exception, now there are so many.)

Crossing the snacks aisle and resisting the temptation to grab shit, like we're legit ass adults and we ain't going out to buy a whole ass cake to eat in a single seating. WHY.

Started paying for my own stuff

When at every visit, I started having to go through my parents' fridge to replace their expired food.

When I got my very first paycheck and saw the gross pay and the final amount. I had some conflicting feelings.

Another, much earlier moment was in high school. I don't remember the exact event that triggered it anymore, but something bad had happened and the first thing out of my mouth was "It's not my fault". The teacher pulled me aside and told me just because it's not my fault doesn't mean it's not my responsibility.

I think the first experience was the first time I felt like an adult in the moment but the latter was the first time I was treated like an adult in retrospect.

I bought pyjamas for the first time in my adult life last week, until now I just used old t-shirts, leggings, joggers etc. My nightwear drawer was where my outdoor clothes go to die. I'm nearly 50.

Confirming my baptism at fifteen. I've regarded myself as an adult for the twenty-five years since.

I got really soft mohair socks and a cashmere scarf and it felt better than a new video game which would have cost the same.

Tragedies always seem to make you grow up a little more.

Had to start paying taxes.

I was sitting in my orientation at my first full time job.

When I started to like starting my day very early in the morning. I wish the whole day felt like the hours of 5-6am, it's so peaceful.