"One curious thing about growing up is that you don't only move forward in time; you move backwards as well, as pieces of your parents' and grandparents' lives come to you"

Growing up is commonly understood as a linear journey into the future, but according to Philip Pullman, maturity is not solely about new experiences and moving forward. As people age, they find themselves shaped not just by what lies ahead, but by the echoes of the past, especially the lives and memories of their parents and grandparents.

Children often receive fragments of family history and old stories, sometimes casually recounted or resurrected during family gatherings. Early in life, these stories may seem remote, even mundane. But as one matures, they take on a different, sometimes startling resonance. One’s own life begins to mirror or diverge from the patterns and decisions of those who came before, blurring the boundaries between generations. A person might recognize an inherited quirk, a particular mannerism, or find themselves wrestling with challenges eerily similar to those faced by an ancestor.

Memory, too, functions as a bridge, allowing for a kind of time travel. As people age, they better understand the choices their elders made, the motivations, fears, and hopes that once seemed inscrutable. In facing adulthood’s trials, individuals gain empathy for their parents’ struggles, perhaps seeing the world anew through their eyes. The result is a richer, multidimensional sense of self that looks both forward and backward.

This backward movement is not merely nostalgic; it is formative. The past provides context, grounding, and a sense of belonging. It informs identity, imbuing life with layers of meaning through cultural inheritance, family values, and emotional connections. Thus, growing up means carrying both dreams of the future and the legacy of the past. Understanding oneself becomes an act of combining these two temporal directions, threading together stories, lessons, and emotions handed down across generations, which ultimately shape one’s identity and worldview.