What is Maturity?

Lately I’ve been asking myself the question, “What is maturity?” Is maturity the large number, with lots of zeroes behind it, which my school loans are comprised of? Is maturity how many pairs of heels and dress slacks I own? Is maturity my paycheck? The amount I care about politics? My own apartment? The way in which I respond to catty girls? How many men I’ve dated (as opposed to how many boys I’ve dated)? Is maturity the way I use social media, or the music I listen to? No matter how many questions I ask, I just keep coming back to one beautiful piece of wisdom from the Ben Harper song “Skin Thin”… “Now that you’ve grown up, you can finally learn to be a child.” Stunning, isn’t it? These words could mean many different things, to many different people but… To me, it means that I’m getting there. I’ve worked hard; I’ve skipped play time. I’m making connections and learning skills. But that’s not gonna cut it. All work and no play makes me a dull girl, right? So what’s my solution? Take the time to be a kid again. Wear your Power Rangers shirt to the store. Watch your favorite Pixar movie with a friend. Roll around on the floor with your puppy. Play a computer game. Read your favorite book from your childhood. Go to the pet store, just because you can. Buy candy. Rent every movie in the store that has your favorite hottie in it. Eat chocolate chip pancakes for dinner. and LAUGH. If you do nothing else, laugh. Because if you don’t laugh, are you really living?

by Emily Norton.

(Featured image via Shutterstock).