9/11/13

The Moment I Started Adulthood

When Do Children Become Adults? Personally, I Believe This Is The Dividing Line, Not Age.


     There are many, many things that I have heard repeated throughout my life mostly from my parents or others who cared for my well-being that I had just shrugged off or pretended to listen to just so I could go back to doing the same old stuff.

     Over these last few years, looking back it truthfully can't believe how stupid I was. It seemed like a light switch to me, where one second I didn't even think about the weight or wisdom of the things I was lucky to be told and then the next second I want to slap the old me in the face for not seeing, understanding, or implementing these too-good-to-be-true pieces of advice, that actually were undeniably facts.


     Once I began to talk to those wise individuals about finally understanding what they meant, each and every one surprised me with another piece of obvious information that I was oblivious too. I had no clue why I suddenly understood all these things and over time continued to understand more. After saying to the person, "I finally understand why/what you were telling me all this time, I was so stupid to not have seen it earlier, I don't know why I didn't." Truthfully not knowing what magic or whack-on-the-head had changed my mind.
   
     Their responses were all the same, "Yeah, you finally matured."

      MATURITY. That is what happened over the years to radically change my views on things. How had I not have known such an obvious answer. Hold on a second, I thought I had matured years ago and my parents and everyone were wrong when they told me I needed to back then. So how is it that if I was mature then that could possibly have changed me so much due to something that had happened? Simple answer, I was wrong. Again, I had never matured and definitely didnt understand the definition of maturity. In fact, I feel guilty for even thinking I knew what maturity was and for taking offense or feeling disrespected by anyone trying to help. Socially you may be wrong all the time, but this was a personal realization and self-belief that I really was wrong.

      Okay, you are probably wondering where I am going with this, the point is I was WRONG. Every single person when they are young is RIGHT. Every kid no matter what believes that they are right in every situation, whether thats the case or not. We know everything about everything, no one can teach us anything better than we could figure it out on our own. Im better than you na na na boo boo. I can do anything you can do better. Were the smartest person on earth. It's just true, Im not a psychologist or a doctor so I can't tell you why, but every kid whether theyre vocal about it or not, whether they win or not, or whether they are socially considered to be right or wrong, In their heads they are right. Of course some display this more obviously. It could just be stubbornness. It could be because when your a kid the world revolves around you and everything is given to you. It could be the ecoccentric nature of humans. Who knows, if you do tell me please.

      That's when my brain got turned upside down. If I was wrong then and didnt realize it for years what else could I not only have been wrong about but also still be wrong about. Of course, I found other things that I was morally, ethically, or scientifically wrong about. So that must mean im not the smartestperson on earth, i dont know the best ways of doing everything, im not always right, other people can actually teach me something, the world doesnt revolve around me, and i cant do everything better than you na na na boo boo hoo hoo :'( . Also though, to my surprise it wasn't the end of the world. I began to have a whole new respect for people and a definitely a much more willing to learn attitude.

     I was definitely on to something, something big personally. I began to see the whole world in a completely different way. It was so much more full of learning. I was so eager to meet as many people as I could and experience as much as I could. I realized that every person I met I could learn something from, big or small it did not matter it was something. I began to see advice, stories, compliments, and constructive criticism as gold. I was being forced to step outside of my comfort zone and try new things new ways. I began to research and study the things that I did before doing them, as well as asking for help when I really didn't know what I was doing. I was eager and ready to learn anything from anyone that I could because it was no longer my way or highway, because I didn't ALWAYS know everything about everything but a lot of people know a lot about something and the best way to learn is by asking those people and respecting and being grateful for the wisdom and experience they share with you. Scratch that, it's the ONLY way to learn. I had finally begun to learn. I am talking about a different type of learning than the kind you do in a classroom or learning to ride a bicycle. Although, it does affect the way you look at that type of learning or education. I am talking about learning about yourself.

      Up until you have that sudden epiphany that your not the best at everything; your parents or whoever has always told you do this do that, say please say thank you, or don't curse. Like a robot you do so, never really knowing why even if your told why. All in all it's pretty ironic considering the "I'm the shit/right/best" mindset. Once again not a doctor, but I was a kid and most of the time it was just to get something, make my parents shut up, or just trying not to get in trouble.

     After that epiphany, you learn things differently. The things you learn are more engraved, they are more personal, and have more weight to them because now you realize that since your way isn't the only way, then there are millions of ways to do things and the way you do them is up to you, and everyone would still like to be right as much as possible. It's self-learning or life-learning. It's real learning. It's the learning that will build you as a person. It's the learning that will show you who you are (which everyone wants to know). No school can teach it, and it starts at different times with everyone, but its REAL learning.

     You have to start making decisions of your own. The way you behave, actions, and language you use are all chosen morally and ethically. No matter what you have been taught, told to do, or learned up until now isn't set in stone. This is when you learn about who you are, who you want to be, what kind of person you are, what you want to achieve in life, or the difference between right and wrong. Of course the past information comes in to play and you use it to help you with the decisions but its through these choices and actions and experiences that your learn about yourself.

      Still it is a continuous process you never stop learning and if you think you cant learn anymore, your wrong. :)


     I believe that you learn something from everyone. I would love to hear your opinions, critique, or thoughts. I can't meet everyone but this makes it closer to true.. Remember to share and Google +1 :D

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