A Pocket Knife: the First Step to Maturity

Life is a parade of firsts. From the time we are born, until the day we die, we experience a plethora of firsts. From the first time we roll over, sit up for the first time, take our first step, experience our first crush, until we reach the very last plateau of our lives, we are forever experiencing the thrill of something new. And not only are these string of firsts exciting to us, but also to those around us. Though we don’t understand at the time that our parents are just as excited as us, we soon learn that with our own children.

I can remember the very first time I held my very first pocket knife in my hand, knowing it was mine. I was only nine at the time, but I knew, even if I couldn’t express it in words, that I had been given, not just a small piece of metal and plastic, but a handful of responsibility. This was Dad’s way of telling me that I had gained a little maturity in my young life. He was in a subtle way telling me that I had reached a level in my life where he could trust me with something. This wasn’t just another toy to show off to my friends. It wasn’t just another piece of my childhood that would be discarded as I reached higher levels of maturity. This was the beginning of my adulthood. This was a “toy” that could be potentially dangerous. Not just to me, but to others around me. Dad was telling me that I was ready for something that wasn’t just for entertainment, but something that demanded a level of responsibility that I had never handled before. I was excited, but I’m sure nothing compared to the excitement my dad had.

I still have that knife today; thirty years later. It is a little two-bladed black Case knife. It has been sharpened so many times over the years that there is not much left to it, but it still represents that great power of responsibility that all of us must one day take as a mantle on our shoulders. I’ll never forget the excitement I felt that day. Regardless of how long I live, or how many jobs I hold, or how much responsibility I pick up over the years, nothing will thrill or embolden me like I was the first time I ever held my very own pocket knife.