So I have been sitting on this idea for a while now because, to be frank, I am not exactly confident in the wording and accurate description of my answer to this question. In class we discussed how many of us thought of "coming of age" as a process instead of a moment, but I like to think of it more as a foundation. A foundation that, when complete, can help you live your life to it's fullest (or, to continue the analogy, build the a stunning building).
I think that someone finally completes coming of age when they, essentially, figure out who they are as a person and accept it and not try to alter it (either for other people or for what they consider to fit in). This may be why some people come of age earlier than others (and some not at all) as well as why many people associate this completion with college, where the freedom and independence allows you to discover yourself a lot faster than with the constriction of "minorhood" as I like to call it (since childhood seems to bring a connotation of adolescence which isn't always the case). I've always thought that with acceptance comes happiness, and with happiness comes a well lived life. Sometimes this process is harder on some than others. However, there is some contradiction to this as I believe that you are never done learning or discovering new things and therefore constantly changing and therefore always developing. Does that mean that no one ever truly comes of age? In all honesty, the only way to figure that out is to experience it for myself and, while I would love to tell you my coming of age story, it just hasn't happened quite yet. And I'm okay with that.
It's all perspective really. When I was younger and getting ready to have my Bat Mitzvah I was positive that afterward I could be the adult I always wanted to be. I thought of it as a sure thing. I looked up to adults and I knew I could be an amazing one. But now I think that adults are just kids with a little more responsibility and a little less innocence. What makes us so different than them is the real question of coming of age. How do we get from one to another? I think the general assumption from many people is by the process of coming of age. And I am not saying that's wrong, I actually half agree with it, I just think that everyone is different and it's their foundation and their personality that gave them this individuality. It's different for everyone.
Anyway, I'm not even sure if this makes sense, I was just kinda mulling it over for a while and thought writing it down might help.
No comments:
Post a Comment