MATURITY

Today while carrying on with the mundane things of my life, I was pondering over what is meant by maturity. What is the real maturity? It’s common for people specially colleagues to brand each other immature or kiddish. But how do we define maturity? Dictionary defines maturity as “fully developed; ripe; adult” but I feel there are two things rather two very commonly misused words behind the entire confusion- ‘childish’ and ‘childlike’. Lets checkout how does the dictionary defines them- childlike means “like a child, as in innocence, frankness, etc.; can be confused with childish” and it defines childish as “puerile; weak; silly; therefore refers to characteristics that are undesirable and unpleasant: childish selfishness, outbursts of temper.” Most of the time people use them as synonyms.

For most, maturity or ripeness directly means sitting and brooding in a somber state, or to be lost in a pensive mood. People who enjoy life, who cheer at the first rain of the season or simply who are extroverts are often tagged immature by the society.

 

But my views differ here, I feel maturity is not just indicating everyone that you dislike being in a cheerful mood or gloom is your favorite emotion of all the seasons; the real maturity is reflected in the decisions one takes and in the time management skills of a person. If one is joyous and puckish but manages to pull on his life well without having pettish problems to bother him, if he makes thoughtful decisions and has the courage and dexterity to make gains out of calculated risks, if he remains unperturbed under pressure then I feel such a person is really mature.

Being mature is definitely not about somberness and gloom; it’s not about being serious always and to sneer on the cheerful people. Being childlike and being childish is poles apart.