21 and Invincible

They say that man (that is, the male human in this case and for the purposes of this writing) reaches his peak physical and mental condition when he is 21, as he grows until that age. After that, everything declines - the body is not longer acquiring material to make something new, it’s only maintaining what it already has. As a man, you’ll never be as strong or smart as you could have been when you were 21.

I say that me chupa la pija vo y tu derrotismo, boludo.

Pardon my Argentinean Spanish outburst (even though I’m Peruvian, no Spanish speaker one can swear as passionately as Argentineans do; thus, I use their dialect to swear with a passion).

No, stop, scratch that. I have no regrets about that.

As my 21st year is within hours of ending, I can say that it has had a good run. Probably the wildest year of my life. In 366 days I moved from one hemisphere of the world to the other, got admitted into a university, learnt that I’m afraid of loosing friends, lost friends, had to relearn how to make friends, lost weight like a triathlete on the Moon, gained even more weight, discovered elation, discovered almost-suicidal depression, discovered that love was worthless unless acted upon, discovered that sheer love is what moves me, discovered that love can take many, many shapes, found something I am good in, found something I am awesome in, decided that I’m the only person responsible for my actions, and decided that I was going to take that responsibility as the most important thing in my life, for it is the only thing that can make me really free.

Quite intense. And that’s only the philosophical part.

As a person, I discovered the best and the worst of me when I was 21.

And I know I’m not ready to be older and let myself be only what I am yet.

Actually, I’m not ready to let me just maintain what I am anytime in my life.

Growing up, I think it is a learning process. You learn things, you apply them, and that makes you a different but better person, a more mature person. It might be harder as you get older, but one can learn stuff until the moment you die, and then some. Just accepting things as they are, maintaining a status quo, the state of things, is giving up on learning, on adapting, on improving yourself. That’s the whole thing about maintenance, not changing things.

But I want to change things. I want to get better. I want to try and succeed, and I want to try and fail, and I want to learn from these successes and failures. I want to wake up every day tingling with curiosity, ready to take chances. Whatever happens, I want to give my best shot at it. I still want to walk on the Moon, I still want to fly to Mars, I still want to see the Earth from a million miles away and back! I still want to be the best friend, the best father, the best lover, the best writer, the best flyer.

I won’t be able do those things if I grow old and decide I’ve reached my peak already.

For all I care, screw this whole 21 is the peak business. It’s just an excuse for people who don’t want to make the effort to become better. I want to start every day being better than the day before. If 21 has to be the peak, I’ll be 21 for the rest of my life.

Behold world, here I come. I’m 21 and invincible, forever!

21 and Invincible

by Something Corporate

Some days go by,

I wish I was famous.

Or maybe religious,

so I could go to heaven

just like you.

I can have a big house,

complain about taxes,

payoff my ex'es,

ain't that living?

No one makes fun of me,

cause I can't stand up for myself

Whoa,

I'm 21 and invincible

Whoa,

can't wait to screw this up!

And woah,

21 and invincible.

I'm in power

for the hour.

I guess today's gonna blow us away.

I've got a girlfriend.

She tells me she needs me,

and she loves me.

We'll probably get married,

oh no.

And everyone will bite their tongues so hard they'll bleed.

When mom hears this song,

she'll tell me I'm crazy,

and she'll say to me

"Son you're much too young.

Go have some fun.

Don't waste your youth like I did"

Whoa,

I'm 21 and invincible

Whoa,

can't wait to screw this up!

And woah,

21 and invincible.

I'm in power

for the hour.

I guess today's gonna blow us away.

And it's been autumn since the day that I met you.

If I hit bottom, must I crawl out alone?

And I dont wish to know the secrets of summer at all.

Let's go!

Whoa,

I'm 21 and invincible

Whoa,

can't wait to fuck this up!

And woah,

21 and invincible.

I'm in power

for the hour.

I guess today's gonna blow us away.