Older

A little under a month from now, my blog will be a year old. And, I should be hitting 200 posts soon. I didn't celebrate or even mention the first 100, simply because it came around during a very hectic time for my blog. Since I'm in a similar spot now, I likely won't emphasize 200 either. We'll see.
All this to say, I'm growing up. I'm seeing differences in my blog from back then and now. There's a difference in my interests, the way I express myself, and what I'm willing to do. I've grown a bit and have noticed a few dedicated readers and even received my first ever comment a while back.
Before I know it, I'll hit sixteen. The same age as the princess and teenage characters I grew up watching on T.V. It's so weird to think that these characters, who I once thought were so cool and so old, are now in the same life stage as I am. It's no secret that I live a wildly different life than the fictional teenagers I see on television, but someone, somewhere, is living that life. And sometimes I think about how differently everyone grows up, and it boggles my mind. Even two people living side by side under the same roof don't have the same childhood. People grow up, emotionally and physically, at different rates and all need their time to reach maturity. Some people never really mature. We're all exposed to information at varying rates and what you consider basic knowledge could be revolutionary to someone twice your age and vice versa.
But, getting older really is all about knowledge. While the specific information you take in depends on you as a person, the general concept of knowledge defines age. Your constant intake of knowledge is what ages you. Muscles remember certain motions you do often and learn to help you improve them. Your brain's neurons hold on to memories you emphasize and learn to help you in areas you prioritize. You develop habits and learn to fine-tune your speech to your social setting and form your own personal opinions. Knowledge is power because knowledge is progressing. I've started growing out my hair by taking the time to learn more about it, experiment, look up ingredients, what is bad/good for my type, and studying different methods of care. My skin breaks out less and irritates me less because I've taken the time to learn types of routines, alcohols to avoid, fruits to keep off my face, and the difference between different types of creams. If I sat there, oblivious to all of this, truly believing I could care for my hair and skin without any additional knowledge, I would still be crying about my hair falling out and my skin flaking up.
Knowledge starts with a will, however. I wanted to learn to take care of myself, so I started. I managed to identify the issue and tried to fix it. Experience has enabled me to quickly identify issues now to this day, around a year after I stopped relaxing. Recently, I looked into my hair porosity, and because of it, I'm trying out different products with lighter oils and fewer proteins. I've gotten to a point where my mother looks to me for hair and skin care advice. And, honestly? I remind her I'm not a professional and that she should wait until I have a license before taking my word above others. As much knowledge as I have, I now have enough to realize how oblivious I am. The more I look up, the more I realize there is to learn, and the more I realize I want to learn.
Getting older is not only progression but a desire to progress further.