By Lawrence Tartaglino
Maturity is defined as a point of full development, of acing adultlike, or the endpoint of an obligation. Bonds and loans mature, fruit and vegetables mature, and so do all other living creatures, including humans.
I read an article the other day stating that researchers had determined that the male brain does not reach full maturity until age 25. The female brain, on the other hand reaches full maturity at age 21. What a croc!
Take my brain, for instance. When I was 18, I knew without a doubt that the best ways to impress girls was to screech around corners in my car, peel rubber when starting off from a stop sign, and to honk, hoot and holler each time I saw a girl walking the sidewalk. Now that’s maturity!
I knew that machismo was also a sign of maturity. Why walk when you can strut? Why smile when you can belly laugh. Why sip when you can guzzle? These were traits of growing maturity, and many of us mastered them at quite a young age … way before age 25. Some of us have maintained that level of maturity right through adulthood and into our senior years.
Cruising Beach Street in the 1960’s was a fine way to demonstrate maturity. In those days Beach Street in front of the Boardwalk was a 2-way street.
On weekends, teens would spend hours and hours and gallons and gallons of gasoline cruising up and down the street. We would hoot and holler and do anything we could to draw attention to ourselves. I don’t doubt that the influx of “adults” cruising up and down the street and adding to the congestion, didn’t have something to do with the City’s decision to make it a one-way street.
I’ve considered the distinction between maturing and aging. Most older men are quieter, more reserved, and hold an appreciation for the finer things of life: literature, art, music, history and the awe and beauty of nature.
The mature teen ager, on the other hand, is interested in instant gratification, bravado, and standing out from the crowd. How does this distinction relate to me any my peers? Just compare nature to mankind. (Poetic license admitted and applied)
In nature, Caterpillars are not attractive; some people think they are creepy. They slime along plants and flowers and gnaw them down to the point of death. As caterpillars mature, they morph into beautiful butterflies. No one thinks butterflies are creepy.
They are beautiful, graceful, and a sight to behold. They no longer eat and destroy plant material. Instead, they gain sustenance from the nectar of flowers and tree sap. They don’t destroy, they help nature thrive by pollinating and cross pollinating.
Humans, on the other hand, begin life as beautiful, innocent children. As they reach maturity, they become even more beautiful, although not quite so innocent.
Physically, they are at a point of perfection. Mentally, well, that is a point of debate. As humans, the body begins to deteriorate past a certain stage of life. So does the brain. Forgetfulness, dementia, and confusion often set in.
In short, as caterpillars mature to seemingly perfection, humans often mature into a state of decline. The wants and needs of mature humans consume a growing portion of our resources. Their activities and needs seem to lead to pollution and degradation.
As caterpillars start out as consumers of nature, humans begin life as benign additions to humankind. As caterpillars morph into butterflies, they become creature vital to the survival of life through pollination and cross pollination. They no longer destroy to survive. They are beautiful but benign.
So, when do we mature, and when do we age? A part of me still believes that I reached full maturity at 16 years old. What do you think?
Lawrence Tartaglino received his Bachelor’s and MBA degrees from San Jose State University. Since retiring, he has enjoyed developing talks and speaking on subjects including business, maritime history, and his Italian heritage. He has traveled with Princess and Oceania Cruise Lines as an Enrichment Speaker.
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