Monday, March 2, 2009

GROWING OLD VS. GROWING UP

Which do you prefer? Growing old or Growing up? A very simple question that everyone thought has an easy answer. You bet! That is the question most people dont have a ready answer. Do you think Im wrong? I should know because I too dont have a ready answer for a such simple question before and most of us are.

We always know that growing old is part of being human, and is one of the developmental stages a normal human being or even animals has to go through. And I think growing old is given, because if people dont grow old then where is he?

Along with growing old is an addition of age and apparently that is how we gauge how old a person is, aside of course from wrinkles and sagging skin. So generally its the physical appearance that we take a look to check if a person is already old or not.

But have we ever have a way to check if a person has grown up? Literally growing up is measured with height. But this isnt what I meant and that is why I dont have a literal meaning of it.

As what I concluded myself, Growing Old is Mandatory; Growing Up is Optional. Again getting old is normal and is a natural process of human existence. But growing up? It sure is a natural process too but how do we know if a person has grown up? How do we measure if a person had grown enough?

One old man over a friend's beerday said, " a person will always know he is getting old but he'll never know what have he got during these time". I seem to agree because personally growing up depends on life's experiences, the society you're with matters, the kind of people you go with counts and the spiritual relationship you have answers them all. A lot of young people I know from work seems to talk like 10 yrs older than me and upon learning and listening to their lifestory, I learnt it wasnt an easy life they went through just to be where they are right now. Others also who seems to be really older than me talks like 10 yrs younger than me and after knowing what they've got it seems that it all boils down to life's experiences.

I've known a lot of man too who seems old outside but really havent grown yet, and I wondered why. Because if getting old is equivalent to learning and if learning is how we measure if a person have grown or not, then how can a person be senseless and self centered after going through a lot of age and life's experiences?

See? its vague. And the answer to the question really depends one's experience, together with his environment,education,family life and all other essential part of being human.

But this I would like to partake, growing old is Mandatory; growing up is Optional. Seems true. We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. Choices are always available, we'll just have to make it an option.

And be happy regardless.

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