"Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional”
- Walt Disney or Chili Davis or Anonymous (pick the one you like the most ;-)
Possible Meanings
A serious one (from Quora but please don't ask me what it means):
" Entropy is a physical law all things obey and it says we must decay to simpler things. Thus life is anti-entropy (we defy the universe to live, literally). We’re lucky to live as long as we do and we do it because we are smart. We eat omnivorously, have social support systems, and have culture and technology that assists our prolonged anti-entropy states. Ultimately, we are just a blurr in the chemical reactions that happen every moment in our universe. We are special but also not. In the end, like all systems, we are in flux. Part of the flux is growing old and dying. That’s life in this universe. Be grateful you’re able to be organized as a human right now to wonder. Also, remember, you’ve always existedold, exist now, and will exist for all time; the catch is that you’re not always going to be in the state you are in now. Again, be grateful for the state your in now."
A easy one (also from Quora):
"Quite simple, actually—our biological bodies will age, and eventually die—but some people never fully arrive at a mature, balanced place psychologically—and some of us never lose touch with the magical, innocent, wonderful child within."
To me, there is no confusion in "growing old". But "growing up" has two different meanings:
1. To be moulded into a standard piece of the main stream of the society, do and say what are expected and can be taken to anywhere and plugged in like an AI ;-)
2. To come to maturity intellectually, be respectful to Mother Nature and others, and be responsible for own actions.
Although these two are not mutually exclusive and I did try to fit in when I was young and didn't know much, I personally don't like and have been trying to refuse to become a "standard piece" all my adulthood。
- Walt Disney or Chili Davis or Anonymous (pick the one you like the most ;-)
Possible Meanings
A serious one (from Quora but please don't ask me what it means):
" Entropy is a physical law all things obey and it says we must decay to simpler things. Thus life is anti-entropy (we defy the universe to live, literally). We’re lucky to live as long as we do and we do it because we are smart. We eat omnivorously, have social support systems, and have culture and technology that assists our prolonged anti-entropy states. Ultimately, we are just a blurr in the chemical reactions that happen every moment in our universe. We are special but also not. In the end, like all systems, we are in flux. Part of the flux is growing old and dying. That’s life in this universe. Be grateful you’re able to be organized as a human right now to wonder. Also, remember, you’ve always existedold, exist now, and will exist for all time; the catch is that you’re not always going to be in the state you are in now. Again, be grateful for the state your in now."
A easy one (also from Quora):
"Quite simple, actually—our biological bodies will age, and eventually die—but some people never fully arrive at a mature, balanced place psychologically—and some of us never lose touch with the magical, innocent, wonderful child within."
To me, there is no confusion in "growing old". But "growing up" has two different meanings:
1. To be moulded into a standard piece of the main stream of the society, do and say what are expected and can be taken to anywhere and plugged in like an AI ;-)
2. To come to maturity intellectually, be respectful to Mother Nature and others, and be responsible for own actions.
Although these two are not mutually exclusive and I did try to fit in when I was young and didn't know much, I personally don't like and have been trying to refuse to become a "standard piece" all my adulthood。
I wish us all be mature as per #2, but "never lose touch with the magical, innocent, wonderful child within“. 
Good news: the mid-autumn festival cookies have arrived in Walmart Canada, and I bought a box yesterday ;-)
