When did I become "that guy"?

So what seems to be a pattern of every Friday night now that I leave my front door light off, the Punk Kid Welcome Committee stops by, politely ringing the doorbell and inexplicably running away as fast as they can. I find myself going to the door, turning on the light, slinging the door open as I whisk my way out onto the front stoop, angrily shaking my fist into the lonely, quiet, night air.

"You know, one of these days you're gonna have to grow up!" I yell out into the snickering night, which is always followed by the muttering of "punk kids..." under my breath as I retreat back into the house.

I just have one question.

When the heck did I become "THAT GUY"?

You know, the one that the neighborhood kids always hated because he couldn't take a joke. The one that seemed to have a scowl of resentment and twisted emotions as the kids in the neighborhood rode their bikes or Ripstiks by the house. The one that the neighborhood kids always picked on because he couldn't take a joke and always had a scowl on his face? Yeah, that guy. You all had one in your neighborhood growing up.

I used to be that punk kid. I used to be the one walking through the neighborhood with friends, randomly picking houses to ring-n-run, laughing carefree with no actual malicious intent. Just a kid being a kid.

Now I'm "THAT GUY." The guy that is always irritable because he is worried about bills that have to be paid. Taxes to prepare for. Repairs to make to the house. Children to raise and herd around the house like cats. Responsibilities to handle. Not tomorrow. Not now. Yesterday. The guy that often finds no time to enjoy life, time with his kids or wife, time to relax and "smell the roses, study God's Word and foster my faith and relationship with Him... and instead chooses to shut down and shrink into a stupor on the couch with TV or the Xbox when time permits at around 10 o'clock at night.

It's sad that this transformation happens. We put it off as much as possible, but for most folks, it's inevitable.

Still, as I think about it, and think about how I used to be and what I have become...

...it makes me want to go ring some doorbells.