Misconception around maturity.

Maturity is something that I often see misinterpreted in our society. It is concieved as loosing the child in us and react to every situation with a serious state of mind.

But is that what maturity is? No it isn’t.

In my view, maturity is the ability to not loose the child in us while taking all those things seriously that need to be taken seriously.

An example to make it more clear. Celebrating like a maniac on winning a lottery by singing, jumping, dancing much like a child.

But then when your mother scolds you for something, you show utmost respect for her without instantly retaliating and trying to understand her point of view. This would be called maturity.

We have collectively accepted the wrong meaning of maturity. I no longer see children of 7-15 years of age playing cricket in my street and when I ask them why is that so? They say “Ab bache thodyi hai hum”.

I feel sad at that very moment because it is us who coded this perception around maturity in their heads. They are all in a hurry to be called mature beings.

But then I’m no different. When I was a kid of 7-15, I could easily find even college students playing street cricket but now even school goers feel ashamed of playing.

Big part of the reason here being neighbors taunting kids with statements like “Is this your age to do all this”.

We need to first figure out the narrative around age. What do we want to teach our kids? “Age is just a number” or “There is a certain age where you are expected to leave the child in you”. I would prefer the former.

Through this I want you to never ever mock anyone for childish behavior. Rather try to appreciate how they managed to securely keep this child alive despite the society wanting it killed.

Don’t be in a hurry to mature.

Or wait, never mature!

-ChoubeySahab