How Maturity Come's With?

Maturity is when you opens up your wold, and you realize that you are not the center of it.”

— M.J. Croan.

Adolescence is a period of progress where a young person is developing into an adult. Therefore, maturity begins at adolescence period. When we hit the stage of development, there are many several changes may happen and occur over a period of time. Changes that commonly affect our physical characteristics and sexual maturation, mental and social changes at the same time. Adolescence period that begins at puberty stage and terminated to maturity.

According to Wikipedia, “maturity is the learned ability to respond to the environment in a socially appropriate manner.” — “It has different definitions across legal, social, religious, political, sexual, emotional, and intellectual.”

However, when you asked 100 people on the street about maturity means to them, you would get 100 different answers. Some of them probably would say, 'maturity is defined as an ability to listen and have self-awareness' or either the 'antithesis of childishness.' While on the other side, the half of 100 people may define a person as matured if it's 'physically reached or developed into an adult.' Maturity encompasses all of these things, and everyone thinks in a slightly different way about maturity. Maturity can define in five different ways, it can be in physical, emotional, ethical, intellectual, and social.

Perhaps, the only perspective where everybody could be same, maturity has a long process and requires time to make it achieve.

But, how a person become matured? Oh, It's really required the age to define a person as matured enough? Can maturity measure and based by age, not in life experience? So, it's truly that maturity is overly equate with age?

Well, i decided to ask my family about this topic, their perspective or either based on their observation and experiences.

Since my mom is in my side, i asked her what's her point of view about this topic. She said, “Habang ume-edad ka, dapat lumalawak ang utak mo. Hindi p'wede na matanda ka na pero bata ka pa rin mag-isip.” Basically, she believed that maturity comes with age.

I go to the bedroom of my dete or the third child to know her perspective and she said “sa karanasan.” I asked her why, and she answered this, “sa karanasan kasi sa karanasan.” Gosh, are you looking for a dog in your house? My dete can be your pet, just buy her for only 20k. I will sell her right now and the only issue she has is, her mouth is armalite just like my mom, but don't worry she's fit to be a dog since her mouth can't stop, and she has a microphone in her tr oath.

After i annoyed to my dete, i hastily leave her room. I'm certain that my annoyance towards her will end up in fighting bcs we're just like dog and cat BWHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. My dete and mom proves that new gen and old gen has diverse perspective. Am i wrong? Whatsoever, just don't get me wrong.

Anyway, my perspective about how maturity comes is technically in life experience. I'm not measured the maturity of one's by age, nor based on their physical characteristics. I do believe that even young can have matured behavior at an early age. People can mature in different ways, in different areas of our lives, even at such a young age. Age is just a number for me, and even young can think how do adult thinks because experiences has a strong impact on our way of thinking and perception towards life. We can't use the age or physical attributes in judging the mental capability of one's person, nor their characteristic. We can experience struggle's, pain, failures, and reflections in a very short term of years, terminating to the examining of ourselves and wisdom that comes with growing up.

As a teenager, i can say that i'm matured enough to understand the circumstances that happenings in society and in my life. I've learned many things at an early age, how complicated the life is and the world of itself. In my 15 years standing to the life that i living, my mental capability and perception towards life ain't the way how some teens look at it. I know how to look at the whole picture of this world. Now, how could i say that i'm matured enough to understand what's life? Well, because of situations that i witnessed while i'm growing up as adolescent.

; Realizing how significant the money is

— I've already watched my parents fighting about financial matters that lead me to realise 'Our family has financial issue'. Watching my mom crying because of bills that we can't pay due to financial matters. Seeing my mom how tired she is after doing all things to earn enough amount to feed me and my siblings.

— Since at an early age, i compromising my decisions when money is included because i'm aware in financial status of our family. I remember how i used to fake that i am not hungry and i don't want to eat every time we had no food in dining table because of not enough money. How i used to be sad because i can't buy toys and foods that i wanted to have and eat. To say to my friends that “i need to go because i have many things to do” every time they encourage me to go and eat in 7/11, but the truth is i don't have enough money or either allowance like them because the salary of my mom is enough for the essential needs of our family. To make the coffee or soy sauce as partner in rice due to can't afford meats.

; Realizing that i need to protect myself because no one can do that for me.

— Remembering myself and older sister got experienced to molested by our uncle and grandfather in father side. As a kid, it was okay for me before but what the heck right now, traumatizing. You will realise harassment when it's too late.

—This was also the time that i realize, you should never trust anyone blindly and protect your peace at all times.

— I always used to be brave and i made protective walls surrounded by me so that no one can hurt me.

; Realizing i should have accountability and doing my responsibility

— When i was a kid, i always did wrong things and my older sister is the only one that carrying my responsibility. It was okay for me and to be honest, instead of feel bad i always used to laugh when i see my older sister crying because she scolded by mom, even i know that's because of me. As time goes by, i realise that taking accountability and doing your responsibilities is part of our lives. Relying on your responsibilities to others will be caused of inconvenience, unhealthy relationship, and more. While taking accountability won't make you less human.

; Realizing that everyone will leave you soon and not everyone will see your worth, so being alone is better to be.

— Since when i was elementary, i always feel unwanted, rejected, and not chosen. I felt that way because of my friends and, the worst is, because of my siblings. So now, i realise that music is better than people. Being comfortable to be alone is the best decision that i ever had.

; Realizing that treating others right is one of our liabilities as human being. Likewise, honesty.

— When i see my mom struggling to control her emotions and anger issue, she always used to be physical for satisfaction. And i said to myself, “i won't do it to others.”

— When i became agnostic, i've become better. And now, i do believe that treating others right and not deceiving or manipulating anyone is part of our liabilities as human being.

; Realizing that i should be independent, emotional independent.

— I realise that telling your problems and issues to others brings another inconvenience. I dunno but i want people in my surroundings are comfortable telling their problems to me because i will look at it as not inconvenience, but i don't like i'm sharing my problems to others. Kinda weird.

; Realizing that listening is better more than talking. Especially, having a matured conversation can build a healthy relationship. Another thing, listening and talking about deep topic makes me improve as a learner of life.

; Chasing myself, not the others. And, being sensitive at all times or should i say, i already accept the differences of everyone.

Now, am i young enough to know everything? It's unfair if you won't share your thoughts about this, feel free to share. Ily.

I do believe there's no better teacher when it comes to maturity, unless if it's life.