"Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional." I used to think this was a clever phrase (which it is), but now I kind of wonder: Is growing up really optional? I mean, growing up means different things to different people. And as an official "grown up" (sort of), I've been thinking a lot about what it means to me. Sure I feel like an adult, but I'm not sure I can say I feel grown up. So, when I stumbled upon this little gem, I thought I'd let the experts do the talking- Peter Pan and Wendy Darling in The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy.

And then I decided to go through every episode (of season 1) to see if I could pinpoint a special message or lesson in each one, because there turned out to be some pretty good advice, and laughs (both of which, I'll admit, I needed to hear at the time). So, without further ado, here are 26 lessons I learned while watching The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy (which I highly recommend watching, especially if you read these and have no idea what I'm talking about): Episode 0/Prologue: Your adventure is just beginning. (Also, Scotland has sheep. Lot’s of sheep.) Episode 1: Everyone has to grow up…but sometimes, growing up can wait. Also, anyone else notice Wendy’s Doctor Who t-shirt and the dalek riding passenger’s side? I APPROVE. Episode 2: If your household fairy tells you that you being more than friends with your best friend would make children cry, she probably hates your best friend/is in love with you. And a fudgeceratops is the only way to travel in Fudgeopolis, of course. Episode 3: Shout out to all dinosaur/Jurassic Park fans out there(!!!): if you don’t move, a t-rex can’t see you (but people still can). Also a brownie+fairy dust=magic brownie… Episode 4: Right from the mouth of Wendy- “I had thought that comparing myself to my slacker brother would show you something, show you how good it is to work hard, but…Michael nailed it. I mean he’s happy in his life and I’m…not. Don’t get me wrong, my life is fine…on paper, but, I think that’s the problem. It can be put on paper like a list, like a boring predictable list that never ever changes. Maybe it’s time I change it. My advice to you is to work as hard as you need to to be happy, and after that spend the rest of your life actually living it.” Also, some people can definitely pull off cupcake scarves, and someday I hope to be one of them. They are epic. Props. Episode 5: The closest most Americans get to royalty is Burger King. Also, someone needs to invent an actual recipe for Pan Punch. Episode 6: It’s not all about what you want, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting. And drunk cleaning is a good way to channel your drunkenness. *Episode 7: If you are a guy and you have a best friend as a girl, never, ever say “hey, you’re kind of a girl…” and proceed to ask her advice about girls. Not a good move. **Episode 8: Four very key things from Wendy- 1. Just because someone rejects you/doesn’t like you, that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you, 2. While rejection hurts, at least that person is being honest, 3. If someone tells you something important when they’re drunk, make sure they can tell you the same thing when they’re sober, and 3. There's nothing worse than being left to wonder if something is wrong with you. Episode 9: “I am on a journey, and on that journey there will be obstacles, but anything worth having is worth fighting for.” (From Wendy again). And from me- Sometimes, even being mentally prepared for something doesn’t actually prepare you it, or affect your reaction. And, occasionally, you might indulge in letting a bottle of wine determine how you feel about yourself. Episode 10: How do you schedule in time for fun when life takes so much work? How are we supposed to follow our dreams if we have to think about bills all the time? How do you stay young when the world just wants to age you? How do you plan love? Four questions asked at the end of this episode and left for the audience to determine. I won't try to answer them for you, because it will be different for each individual. Just something to think about. Episode 11: Some people put their socks in order based on thread-count quality. Even though that shouldn’t be a thing. Also, sometimes you won’t be good enough for something. To that I say, it happens to everyone. And, corny as it sounds, you only need to be good enough for you. *Episode 12: Some people want the same, and some people want new. But no matter what you want, something will always change. For example, in this episode Peter says that people spend their lives looking for different, wasting time when they could be doing something they know they love; but Wendy wants new things, to find new things to love. In the end, Peter makes a change; you don't have to want new things, but you do have to be able to accept change, and possibly even make a change yourself. Episode 13: Some rich people have exotic animals fight in helicopters to feel better. But not really. Episode 14: "Sometimes you have to be patient, like a person waiting at the DMV." Episode 15: Beware of jealous fairies. Episode 16: The best thing to do when you forget someone’s birthday is admit it. Episode 17: Because making up with that person will give you a chance to show how much you care. And, in Wendy’s words: “If you’re upset with someone, tell them. Give them a chance to change, to show you how they care. And if they do, keep them. And if they don’t ditch them, and find people who do.” Episode 18: If you’re torn between things, don’t think that you’re alone. Talk to someone about it. Episode 19: There’s this thing called communication. COMMUNICATION. Episode 20: Sometimes an intervention isn’t the way to deal with things. Namely secrets. **Episode 21: What does it mean when someone is the first thing you think about when you wake up and the last thing you think about before you go to sleep? It means you love that person. **Episode 22: Some words from the Darling brothers to their sister- 1. Never is a really long time. 2. If the love is real, it will find a way, and 3. Truth is truth. *Episode 23: Your life can be wherever you want it to be. And sometimes life is fast. Episode 24: If the person you love asks you to come with them when they move away, and you decide not to go, you should tell them why. You know, instead of leaving them standing on the sidewalk staring after you. Epilogue: Seriously. Don’t trust fairies. And, just for fun, enjoy this epic+weird=yes music video for "Somewhere In Neverland" by one of my favorite bands, All Time Low. It's awesome really, how much it fits.

Farewell, my darlings!