Maturity

Good morning friends. Today on "Zicolo Today", I am writing about something that came to my mind during an online group discussion yesterday. Have u ever heard someone, referring to someone, said "He is not mature enough"? and wondered what exactly that the person was talking about? If yes, I think u need to read this. MATURITY is a psychological term used to indicate how a person responds to the circumstance or environment in an appropriate manner. Some people only need to talk before you realize that most people do not grow up, they only grow old. Some get marry and have children and call it growing up. Maturity encompasses being aware of the correct time and place to behave and knowing when to act appropriately, according to the situation and the culture of the society one lives in. Maturity, in psychology, “has little to do with age, but with the ability to react, cope and reason in an appropriate way for a situation.” It also involves ability to talk in an environment in the appropriate manner. Maturity is learned through experiences and the ability to cope with emotional situations. The way a person deals with a crisis and make decisions during such time are good clues about his/her level of maturity. Some school of thoughts believe that older persons are generally more mature, In legal proceedings, people are not considered psychologically mature enough to perform certain tasks (such as driving , consenting to sex , signing a binding contract or making medical decisions) until they have reached a certain age as approved by the law of the land. Signs of maturity include the ability to be comfortable with those that are not similar to you in anyway. The ability to control you anger and settle differences without violence or destruction. As stressful as any situation may be, maturity helps you to resolve them without turning towards anger and potentially destructive behavior. Maturity is patience. It helps us to recognise that the best things in life often take time to come to fruition. It gives us the willingness to be able to pass up immediate pleasure or rewards and realize that sometimes the best solution to a problem is to go for the resolution that gives us long-term gain. It teaches us that we may not get what we want today, but in the long run we will grow our lives in a multitude of ways. Maturity is the capacity to face unpleasantness and frustration, discomfort and defeat, without complaints. It teaches us that life will present us with any unpleasant situations. That sometimes we will not only face frustration, but also defeat. Maturity teaches us the essences of humility. That the hardest words to say are; “I am sorry” and “I was wrong”. Yet, these words are growth words as they grow us as a person. Maturity teaches us that everyone has a different view of reality. It teaches us not to gain satisfaction by gloating about an outcome that favours our prediction. The truth is that people will respect us more when they see that we are willing to admit our mistakes, and when we are wise enough to just let things go. Maturity is the ability to make a decision and follow through. So many people have good intentions but they never follow through on them. Maturity means dependability, responsibility and coming through in a crisis. It teaches us the need to know that whenever we say we are going to do something, we must do everything in our power to make it happen; otherwise we must be sure to let the other party know why and explain alternative options. It helps us to get organized in life so that people learn that they can depend on us. Maturity is the art of living in peace. Knowing that there are some things in life we simply cannot change. Maturity brings a generosity of spirit and often yields a greater self-mastery of emotions and attitudes along with a deeper appreciation for the complexity of life. With maturity, we can have deep, meaningful connections with people. And even when they let you down (be sure they will), it doesn't destroy you anymore! As we go through our journey in life, I plead with us to consciously make efforts to develop into maturity. I leave you with the words of Gordon Hinckley; ”the willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should aspire. Imagine a world filled with individuals willing both to apologize and to accept an apology. Is there any problem that could not be solved among people who possessed the humility and largeness of spirit and soul to do either -- or both -- when needed?” Just give this a deep thought my friends. Have a great weekend.