Adults in my book are those you automatically/instinctively turn to when life throws you in the deep sea. It's not really about age but what they have gone through in life.
They are the folk who have not just survived the deep sea, but come out the other side with minimum damage.
These people exist just like people who have summited mountains exist. You can't fake that shit. And you'll automatically know them when you see them.
Indeed, I always found summitting mountains as some kind of a hubris activity. I am like "okay, that's really interesting but that's ONE achievement requiring moderate amounts of effort and one-time investment so don't count me very impressed".
I mean, I am not judging people for doing it. Not at all. It's a good way to get to know oneself better!
Being an adult however is a battle you have every day.
They are the folk who have not just survived the deep sea, but come out the other side with minimum damage. These people exist just like people who have summited mountains exist. You can't fake that shit. And you'll automatically know them when you see them.