Only Seventeen

Day 11: What is your favorite age?

My favorite age would most definitely have to be seventeen.  There are a gazillion reasons why I think seventeen is the best age.

When you're seventeen, you're young, but you aren't an adult yet.  You don't quite have the responsibilities of life weighing on your shoulders.  You're old enough for people to take you seriously, but you're young enough to be able to be carefree.  You are still a kid.

When you're seventeen, you're either nearly a senior in high school or already a senior in high school.  You either have the excitement of almost being at the top of your high school or you're already in that moment of your life.  In a lot of cases, it's too early in the game to be freaking out entirely about college yet.  It's the perfect age to be when you're in high school.

You've finally been driving for a year, so if you live in Texas, at least, you can take more than one passenger in your car.

Why are there so many songs about being seventeen?  Because it's the best age ever.

It's the only age in the teens that has three syllables.  Think about it.  Thir-teen, four-teen, fif-teen, six-teen, sev-en-teen, eigh-teen, nine-teen...  That has to mean something.

You don't have any pressure to have a crazy birthday party when you turn seventeen.  No Sweet Sixteen or Eighteen "Adult" party.  You can have a crazy party if you want to, but there's no pressure.  You can focus on having a good time, not blowing everyone away.

You can... still be tried as a child if you break the law.  Heh.

You can see rated R movies.  A lot of my readers probably don't care about that, but at least you get bragging rights.

Most of all, being seventeen is your last year of childhood.  Maybe I'm strange, but when I turned seventeen, I decided to cherish still being a kid.  I wanted to still be able to say I was a little girl and yet do amazing things for God at the same time.

I even wrote a song about being seventeen.

Only Seventeen

Only seventeen, I'm a little girl,
With many dreams and a plan to change the world.
You can look down at me. You can push me away,
But God's the One in control and He will have His way.

I'm not too young. I'm real. I'm strong.
I'll be anything God wants me to be.
Not just a girl, I'll change the world.
Open my heart, God. Please use me.

Hungry kids, broken world, need a helping hand.
I will reach out to them. I will fulfill His plan.
I will not back away. I know what I believe.
Young and strong, dreaming hard, and I am on His team.

Chorus

I believe in Your calling. I believe in Your plan.
Help me push back these walls, God, do the works of Your hands.
I am not in a box, Lord. I'm not bound with a chain.
I will work for Your glory.  I will sing through the rain.

Chorus

And that's why I think seventeen is my favorite age.

What is your favorite age?