What is Maturity?

I think Maturity is an over used word.. Often misunderstood, misconstrued… and more than half the people who believe that they are infact mature human beings are probably not aware of its significance, meaning or implications..
Anyway, take a look at the following piece.

Maturity is
1. Asking for help when you need it and acting on your own when you don’t.
2. Admitting when you are wrong and making amends.
3. Recognizing that you always have choices and taking responsibility for the ones you make.
4. Having an opinion without insisting that others share it and not letting this difference of opinion affect the regard or respect that you have for someone.
5. Having the courage to live one day at a time.
6. Seeing that life is a blessing.
7. Accepting that you will never be finished and you will always be a work-in-progress.

Dated 28-04-03
The Times Of India.

This has been something that has remained a benchmark for me ever since the day it was published.. And I think it aptly describes what maturity infact implies and demands someone to be..

1. How many of us actually ask for help when we need it..?? I have often seen people struggle to balance coffee mugs and breakfast plates and what not… when all they have to do is just ask for a helping hand from the person standing by, who is only punching his/her mobile.. :D
This would probably only be if we would not assume that people will/should volunteer to help us even when we pose like we don’t need it at all.. :)

2. This is something that tests your character if u ask me.. So many of us find it difficult to just say ‘am sorry’ even if it is oh-so obvious to everyone around that the fault lies with us.. Whether its a simple thing such as spilling a cup of coffee or something more complex like saying or doing something that hurts or annoys another, most of us tell ourselves that this is a part of the person we are and that the world around should only be ‘mature’ enough to accept us as we are... :) ‘C’mon! This is the way I am. Being a little clumsy or being a little hasty and insensitive sometimes, is not all that bad is it? ’ haven’t u heard that somewhere?? Is this complacence? Is this an excuse? Or am I being idealistic?

3. guess this kind of follows from 2..

4. a. Okie!! How many of us don’t do this at all??! Am not raising my hand either! :) For instance, I have had so many million people trying to convince me that Ms. Aishwarya Rai is indeed more beautiful than I think she is.. One guy even went to the extent of saying “you are not as good as her.. so, you are jealous and cant accept that she is so beautiful!”
my reaction??
@#$&#@*&@#%*&@#@%$% &^**$#$@$
but… Naaah!! I dint bother!
But well, what I guess is important, is to realize the fine difference between being assertive about your opinion and standing up for it (if required) and trying to enforce your opinion on someone…

b. The latter half of the same pointer is again very relatable to ha? He/she doesn’t have the same food habits as me or play the same sport or adore the same actor/actress, like the same channel, same television program… and so on and so forth and therefore I don’t like him/her.. Or he/she is not as good as me.. Or he/she is unspeakable to!!! The ability to accept differences and not let them affect relationships or affect the regard and respect for another individual is rather scarce in our world today.. what say?

5, 6 and 7 are rather big picture pointers.. shall leave them to the reader…

I would just like to add that the author concluded the above quoted piece by saying

“Are you a mature person today??”