There are certain topics that do not require so much contention before arriving at a conclusion. I say this because with topics like these, there’s usually an ideal answer, and if your opinion is the otherwise, you’re probably a reflection of what the topic says.
The term maturity, is used so frequently these days, you’d think it’s something everyone experiences in common. A young boy grows to the certain age, where his hands now reaches his ears when passed above his head, he is said to be matured. A young girl experiences menstruation for the first time, and that experience defines her maturity. Someone reached a certain point in life, an age bracket for example, and they’re described as matured. We sometimes forget that maturity is more about emotional and mental evolvement, than it is physical.
You come across someone society deems mature, and you find out that they have no intellect whatsoever. You come across someone who has lived life way longer than you have, and after one conversation, you discover how shallow their thoughts are. You meet someone who should be mature, according to society’s perception of maturity, and you find out that they haven’t even crossed the ‘m’ in the word maturity.
When I was younger, I and my friends had this notion that men who were significantly older in age, proved the best partners. We were wrong. So wrong that thinking of it now, fills us with an indescribable feeling of shame. Aging is something everyone has to go through whether we want to or not, but maturity is where our freedom to choose comes in. You can’t choose how your body grows, but you can choose to shrink how your mindset grows.
The human body evolves. It grows and grows, accommodating all life throws at it. But your mind? It stays however you want it to stay. It’s a reflection of your choices. Do you want it to grow alongside your body or are you comfortable with your current mindset? With aging, you don’t have a choice but with maturity you do. With aging, growth is limited to just the physical but with maturity, growth isn’t limited. With maturity, you have the upper hand but with aging, nature rules.
A person who is significantly older than you, has aged no doubt, but are they mature? Do they have the mental capacity required of people their age, or are they just one of many others? For one to be described as mature, there are more factors to be checked than just their physical and societal milestones.
These two topics are mixed up most of the time, and it baffles me when someone tells me they expected something else from someone just because he or she was older. As if a persons age, determines the workings of their mind. The #ladiesofhive community posed a thought provoking question for the week, and I just couldn’t pass.
When we hear the phrase: "Aging is an obligation, maturing is a choice," do you agree? Do you think aging is an obligation? Do you think maturing is optional?
I’ve answered mine. How about you answer yours?
Thanks for reading.
Images are mine.
