The Four letter word.

I cannot fully get over the fact that I'm not a kid anymore. A part of me still believes I'm not a day over 8 (that might explain my IQ, or lack thereof) and a part of me refuses to acknowledge the fact that I can be officially referred to as an 'aunt' by tiny tots. Now I'm not saying I'm an old hag or anything, but it's just being typecast or belonging to the same bracket as the a fore mentioned that gives me the creeps.
In the past when I had been mistakenly called an aunt, I was just short of acting homicidal. I remember a 11 yr old boy calling a 16 yr old me that. He only just got away with his life. The God fearing child must've believed that faith can move mountains in preventing me from lunging at him. Too bad I WAS the mountain then! (owing to my build). In anycase, I didn't send the lad to Our Kingdom come that day, but I might as well've done. One less person who called me the dreaded four letter word.
But the first time I was called one in all seriousness, was very mortifying. Always being referred to as "ma'am" in the pre school where I worked, it was quite shocking when it happened in class. Gosh, did I feel like the evil witch from the story I was reading to the kids (in wanting to lock 'em up in some exit less tower). Barely had I gotten over the shock of being called thus, than I figured it was the parents who gladly referred to me with the same! "Say 'hi' to aunty!", "Say 'bye' to aunty!"...
Breathing fire to that would be an understatement. I could've given the volcanoes in Iceland stiff competition in refusing to tide over after so many days.
Anyhow, I'm only just coming to terms with the fact now, and resigning myself to my fate of being called 'aunty' henceforth. It's not so bad really. So long as it's that alone...
Okay, I'll be honest. What made me luke warm to it was not tolerating the idea of looking or behaving like one (hell no!). It was being faced with the horror of "mistakenly" called 'Mummy' at school that made me rejoice at just being called an aunt. I'm glad there's an upside to everything in life. It proves that there is a God up there who makes us count our blessings, and sometimes even moves a couple of mountains into acceptance, whenever necessary :)