Growing up and settling down. How could that be?

I have had the luck and honor to be invited to two weddings this upcoming summer. Friends from way back when are getting married. One of them, I attacked with kisses when we were four years old (obviously, that was not the way to go, since I am not the bride) and the other one, well, there are few things we haven't done together. Our "Skrållan" dolls followed us wherever we went and now she is getting married. What happened to the dolls?

Yes, I am of that age when loved ones around me are getting married. And it's so much fun!

But something struck me the other day. Isn't it odd that growing up often includes settling down? I mean, as a lingust, what I see are the two antonyms: up and down. How could they belong to the same idea?

We grow and grow and grow and grow. From crawling babies, dependent on our parents, to upright adults, supposedly independent. But really, nobody wants to be up there alone. In the end, most of us still want to come down to earth. With love. I guess that could make perfect sense after all (my linguistic nerdy me stepping aside).

All my Love to my friends who are all grown up, ready to settle down. I am immensely happy for you. Let us celebrate!