As a parent, I’ve become involved in the breathless anticipation of<\/p>\n
MILESTONES<\/p>\n
Baby is supposed to hold up her head, roll over, sit up and walk at a certain time.<\/p>\n
She is supposed to do more as she gets older. Nap less, eat more, run, learn her alphabet and say please.<\/p>\n
She’s doing fine, but there is that parental imperative to look ahead and make sure.<\/p>\n
This is how humans grow. Except it seems to stop being tracked after a certain point.<\/p>\n
at 6 months, they eat solid food.<\/p>\n
At 13 (or so) puberty hits<\/p>\n
at 16, they are the age to drive a car<\/p>\n
at 18 they are mature enough to vote<\/p>\n
age 21, they can drink alcohol<\/p>\n
Then what? Do we all just stay at the same maturity?<\/p>\n
Aren’t there milestones for me? I asked a psychology expert. She said that adult maturity is not well-researched.<\/p>\n
So I am thrust back on my own life experience. What are the people I know doing? Who are the people I want to be like?<\/p>\n
Where am I along the curve? Is there a curve? Do we flatline?<\/p>\n
I think that perhaps the fear of mortality has kept us from looking for the curve. Because the curve has a beginning–birth–and an end<\/p>\n
Death.<\/p>\n
I don’t like thinking about death. That doesn’t make it less inevitable.<\/p>\n
In any case, What are the candidates for progressive maturity? There is having a body of contibution to society. Children, a family, creative work, building something…that’s all fine for society.<\/p>\n
But what about the soft skills? are we supposed to achieve patience and wisdom? How can we tell?<\/p>\n
What is the difference between vapidity and longsuffering?<\/p>\n
I don’t like this map-less territory. How do I know if I’m winning?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As a parent, I’ve become involved in the breathless anticipation of MILESTONES Baby is supposed to hold up her head, roll over, sit up and walk at a certain time. She is supposed to do more as she gets older. … Continue reading