I was a senior in high school when Tangled burst into theatres, ushering in a new generation of princesses with uncannily large eyes. Out of all the Disney royals old and new, though, Rapunzel stuck with me as the most “me” of the bunch. We were the same age, and I was significantly blonder and more optimistic at the time, to be fair.
Almost every Disney movie has its “I want” song, and Tangled is no exception. In “When Will My Life Begin,” Rapunzel sings of wanting more from life while performing a variety of mundane tasks. (Which is incidentally how I spend my Saturdays as well.)
Despite no longer being an eighteen-year-old blonde ingenue like Rapunzel, a lot of days, I still feel like her in this scene. I feel like I’m always in a hurry to reach whatever is next, like I’m never content with where I am in life. Like I’m always waiting for my life to truly begin.
When I was living in the dorms at my university, I felt like I’d be a real adult when I had my own apartment. When I didn’t drive, I felt like I’d be a real adult once I got a car. When I was single, I felt like I’d be a real adult once I had a partner I lived with, or better yet, got married. Now I feel like I’d be a real adult if only I could finish this degree and get a “big girl” job. It’s a vicious cycle of needing more and more to feel “adulty” enough. I’m gonna be a grandma and still not feel like I’ve “made it” as an adult.
In the meantime, I feel like I’m in this neverending state of limbo, caught somewhere between being a girl and a grown woman. I’m always waiting for that next step. I’m never content in whatever stage of life I’m in, which isn’t a good thing, considering the last time I was in a hurry to “grow up,” I got myself into a marriage I knew wasn’t right for me.
There’s something to be said about enjoying the life you’re living now instead of longing for the future (or the past, for that matter). Those little mundane moments will be a memory someday, and maybe you’ll miss those trips to the laundromat when you finally get a house with its own washer and dryer. Maybe you’ll miss studying for exams at your favorite coffeeshop after you graduate. With every new step in life comes more responsibilities, and I know I’ll miss the carefree days im enjoying now once I have kids, even though I want them more than anything.
There’s no such thing as “waiting” for your life to begin. It’s already happening all around you. Savor what you have now, and trust that everything will work itself out. You’ve got your entire life to grow up, so put your hands up and enjoy the ride.
JESSA JOYCE 