Sunny Days and Rain

In class we've been talking a lot about childhood and when does childhood end.  We've also discussed the "myths" of childhood.  Some examples of the myths are that childhood is the same for everyone or that childhood is carefree.  The consensus seemed to be that there is no certain age that makes someone an "adult".  Yes, legally 18 makes someone an adult, but that doesn't necessarily make someone "grown up".

The song "Still Fighting It" by Ben Folds tackles the myth that childhood is carefree.  The song says; "Everybody knows it hurts to grow up".  This obviously goes against the idea of a carefree childhood by saying, it does "hurt", it does "suck" to grow up.  (The lyrics change later in the song from "hurts" to "sucks" to grow up).  Later in the song, Folds says; "It was pain, sunny days and rain".  Like anything else in life, there are ups and downs, good days and bad days, sunny days and rainy days.  Childhood is not an endless time of sunshine and butterflies.  In growing up you need to experience everything, and learn how to navigate for yourself once you become this so-called "adult".


I think this has a lot to do with the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side.  When you are in the present, you feel the good and the bad, and experience both.  But when looking back, your mind sort of has a way to forget pain, or block it out as a defense mechanism so the main memories will most likely be a "sunny day".  That's why people sometimes want to revert to their childhood, or an earlier part of life.  The song says "the years go on and we're still fighting it".  As each year passes, there is more time in the past that contains the sunny day memories, and so some people may never feel they have reached that greener pasture.