Financial independence
I have to admit it’s extremely satisfying to hang around people who, for the most part, financially support themselves. Around them, you no longer need to filter so many of your thoughts. You no longer have to hold in your complaints about how expensive you think a certain something is, because they would undoubtedly understand. Because you both know that not affording something is never a reason to think less of a person, for there’s always so much more to them than that. You no longer feel weird talking about the things you wish you had but can’t – because you’re still unable to save for them, for you know they too must have been there. You hardly even feel uncomfortable sharing how much you’ve been counting down for payday, and crack up upon finding out they had been doing the exact same. Those conversations about your amazement at how your parents were able to do that for an entire family over all those years without ever complaining about it, become too much relatable, and they certainly help you both grow. You no longer think twice about them treating you or you treating them to something, because you’re certain that neither of you would have offered to pay if your budget hadn’t allowed it anyway. It’s even more heartwarming to realize how they might sometimes insist on doing it even if their budget’s too tight, just because they genuinely wanted to see that smile on your face.
Adulting is hard, but sometimes knowing that someone out there can relate to the things you feel, can make all the difference in the world.
