Happy Full Moon!

Today’s blog is delayed because I needed to learn some lessons in action regarding perspective shifting.

I lost my phone last night after having such a wonderful evening, and almost let the loss eclipse the joy. Isn’t that how it usually is? Sometimes, one negative moment can overshadow the many positives as well.

Losing my phone almost made me forget the new acquaintances I made, the wonderful views, how vibrantly orange the moon was last night, or the fact that I haven’t had to pay for my transportation, food and drinks these past two days.

Losing my phone felt like a pretty significant loss, but ultimately, losing it reminded me of the kindness of strangers. My cab driver from yesterday answered my phone, and was able to give me his number right before it died. He also charged my phone completely, and dropped it off at my house.

Perhaps this message is simple – even in the midst of difficult moments, find the blessings, and repeat the blessings often. The more you reflect on what’s going right, the less power you’ll give to the one moment where things went wrong.

The buzzword this week has been maturity, so I know this season of rapid growth that I’ve been reflecting on is somehow related. According to Webster’s, mature is defined by having completed natural growth and development, or, related to being an older adult.

If maturity is the quality or state of having completed natural growth and development, then I would say, right now, we are way less mature of a society than we once were. This is not to say that immature people have not preceded us, but somewhere along the line, I believe we have opted for immaturity. It’s quite common for me to hear from my friends some phrase about not wanting to be responsible for someone (or something’s) well-being, or wanting to consider the emotional state of anyone outside of themselves. I listen, and I question: Is my generation the detriment of society by being unwilling to accept our positions as adults and the responsibility that comes with it?

Can maturity compete with our Burger King, “Have it Your Way,” motto society? Can it compete with the constant dopamine hits available from social media and substances? Can maturity compete with generations of people who no longer want to be responsible for others, and would rather nurse their neglect and abandonment wounds by remaining in Never-Never Land?

While arguments will come that our society and previous generations’ economic choices are leading us into this state of regression, I would argue it’s our lack of responsibility to our fellow man that will keep us forever stuck. This week, evaluate an area of your life where you know you need to mature, and consider the steps you need to take in order to get there – perhaps in your development of a plan, you’ll reach the first state of maturity: Not blaming others for your life choices.