I read this ask this morning and I’ve been wracking my brain over how to answer ever since, and you know what? I think, considering that you have such a kind and genuine appreciation of the work I do, I don’t have much to tell you! I think you already have a wisdom that many MANY many people don’t. The grown ups, or rather, the ‘older-than-is-considered-a-child-people’ who are in trouble are the ones who don’t appreciate childlike things in life. It is those people who pretend to be different from what they were; that they are not children still, because the more I am exposed to the ‘grown up’ world the more I see that it is nothing more than an older version of what I’ve seen already in college, in school, in nursery. We are all exactly the same, small, scared, vulnerable, wondering, loving, forgetful, learning and fragile people that we started off as. We have seen more, yes, been through more, been through terrible things sometimes, but at our centre we are the same. It is when we forget that or deny it that things become problematic. Also, the idea that ‘grown ups’ are different because they are more responsible than kids is nonsense of the worst kind: I’ve met plenty of irresponsible grown ups and a stunning number of children I would consider more responsible than most of the candidates running for office. I don’t know what you’ve been through, or what your future holds, so I have no place to talk about what you are or aren’t, but you understand what I try to put in my drawings- you know what wonder is, you know what joy is, and you see it! That’s a remarkable thing, and if you’ve been ‘forced to grow up too young’ then it is twice as remarkable because you maintained and protected that most valuable ability and knowledge inside yourself. 

I can’t give you any advice, anon, you’re doing fine. You’ll be fine.