If we could narrow down to one character trait that marks the true transition from youth to adulthood, what would it be?
How about Self Discipline?
If you're like me, you tend to exercise only about as much self discipline as is absolutely necessary!
At a some point in our lives the world begins to require a certain amount of discipline of us. If we choose not to comply, we end up unhappy, hurt, broke, in jail, etc...
We either learn to discipline ourselves or someone else will do it for us and we will probably not enjoy it very much!
The whole point of the story of Peter Pan and his Never-Never Land was the complete and total freedom from self discipline that represents childhood. To do all of the fun things in life without doing any of the more mundane things that really make life go around.
So the real measurement of adulthood is when you realize that you have to discipline yourself to do the important things that allow you to have those times when it is OK to let go and have some Peter Pan fun once in a while!
When we really realize that true happiness comes not from having as much fun as we can cram into our lives, but in choosing to do and become what is important, then we are firmly on the path to becoming true adults.
Character and integrity bring us dignity and peace and they come from disciplining ourselves to choose to do what is right in our lives! All of these things are a choice that is completely up to us, not to the whims of fate or some accident!
I'm thinking that I have a lot to learn here. How about you?
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