On Maturity

I have become part of this so-called "the noblest profession". And being part of it, I had to grow up in all aspects. This realization dawned on me the moment I first wrote on my very first lesson plan. I am honest enough to admit that there are still personal glitches that I have to work on... I'm not immaculate and I'm not aiming to be.

My first year of teaching was a struggle. From being a laid back/carefree college student to being a teacher, the transition between those two roles was not smooth. I encountered problems along the way. I had conflicts with colleagues. I didn't know how to manage my students. I had problems in terms of time management. I also lacked knowledge and skills necessary for my job. In short, I was not ready!

Three years since then,I can now say that I have grown up (somehow).

Maturity is elusive. Just when you thought you're learning, you suddenly realize there are some old habits... bad habits... that are not easy to let go of. This is a little depressing. Eager as you may be to get rid of things that get in the way to maturity, you can't just rush things and expect good results the soonest. Things don't happen at the snap of you fingers. Indeed maturity is possible to reach. It's just a few steps away. but you have to be realistic to just let things happen naturally. Life is a race but sometimes it's not, and in the case of maturity, it's not a race. if you run to reach the end, you may end up drained of energy. If you leap and try to land on it, you may injure your ankles. It's a walk of life without short cuts and detours.

Maturity is a paradox. It's MANDATORY and at the same time a CHOICE. It's mandatory because LIVING is equated with GROWING UP. There is no way you can deal with the world without making progress. Likewise, It's a choice because it would never happen without the consent of the individual. The onset of maturity is the realization that he is immature. Ridiculous as it may sound but it makes sense to say that being mature is realizing that you're immature (I hope it really does make sense...LOL).Without that realization, one may be complacent of the thought that he's mature... when in actuality, he isn't. In effect, he wouldn't find ways to improve. Realizing that you are immature is not something to be depressed about, but instead, something that will motivate you to grow up. Its the first step, so to speak.

Three years from now, I am sure I will again look back to where I am now. Three years from now, I will be saying, "I have somehow grown up."