I've been told 'welcome to being an adult' for much of my adult life. Bills and responsibility are indeed a part of self reliance, but does maturity necessarily mean the same thing?

Rainbows and tigers and chocolate and puddles exist in this world--we should enjoy them! Buttoned up demeanor has no place in such a vivid reality.

Our time and place in this universe is so magnificent, we can not only revel in its beauty but also work to improve it, and that's where responsibility derives. The real bill is what's due upon departure: how much value we impart on all this is.