Age vs Maturity

Let us examine this scenario. A 16year old boy works as a service staff in one of the departments in a company where a 40year old woman  is the head of that  department. The boy came late to work on a fateful morning and as he was running to take up his duty, the woman who is his boss just lands a hot slap on his face before he could finish saying good morning and the woman starts to scream, you stupid brat kept us out here for more than one hour!  The inside there is dusty and we just have to be outside here,we could not even attend to customers. This boy, without any sign of disappointment in his face, prostrates flat like a lizard and said, madam, I am sorry for coming late this morning. After the scene, he quickly gets his daily work done.

      Can you perceive the immaturity in the behaviour of that woman and the high level of maturity in the boy's reaction? What an irony. According to science, we can say she's a mature woman because of her age. Again, society would say because she's the head in her place of work, definitely she's mature, but psychology and critical thinkers would say, she is not mature because of her actions and reactions. The boy on the other hand by science is a small unmature boy because of his age, the society would say, he's just a teenager, but critical thinkers would say wow! What a mature boy! For they understand that, maturity is knowing your right and still acting right to keep your identity in the face of contention.

       Here we are, especially in Africa, our uniform way of thinking is that maturity is weighed by your bodily or physical growth which is as a result of age. Whereas,we have a lot of old people out there, who are just old for nothing, they can not even handle the simplest issues in their community. In view of this cankerous mindset and believe in our society, I feel there is a need to draw the line between maturity and Age.

Age

Age is the period of time spent on earth. Age is in numbers, it is the record of days, months and years spent. Factually, time is the only element that can judge or measure the age of a thing or person. Because a man can be as old as Methuselah and he is a dwarf. One will wonder why such an old man is as that short. Also, a lady of 10 can be as robust and big as a 400 litres drum. In essence, age can not be accurately  measured by anything rather than time. Age can not be measured by bodily or physical growth, nor behaviours. Only time determines how old a man or thing is.

Maturity

Science will say it is "a bodily, physical and visible growth which occur as a result of age". Psychology on the other hand says, "maturity is the ability to respond to the environment being aware of the correct time and location to behave and knowing when to act, according to the circumstances and the culture of the society one lives in." But in my own language,I will say, maturity is having the consciousness of why, where,how and to whom of one's actions. Maturity is being conscious and cautious not only of the society, but also of yourself. In reality, maturity is far beyond what science calls it, although physical maturity is not underrated, but it is not  all what maturity is.

     So,it is possible that a man is old and he is not mature. Maturity is weighed by actions, behaviours and results. A man's level of maturity can only be judged by his actions, behaviours and results of his actions not by his age.

   Note that,man does not grow to the level of maturity without self investment and learning. Therefore, a man can be mature in his body and not in mind because he has not trained that mind. We have various kinds of maturity, they are, Biological Maturity, Psychological Maturity, Social Maturity, Spiritual Maturity, Emotional Maturity, Financial Maturity etc.

Age vs Maturity

-  Age is in numbers while Maturity is in behaviours.

-  Age is measured by time while Maturity is weighed by actions.

-  Age is physical while Maturity is beyond.

-  Age can take you forward, Maturity will take you far and above.

-  How you do tells how mature you are, the number of your days tells your age.

-  Age is science, maturity is psychology and social.

    Moreover, being mature is not a day job, just like you grow in age, you grow in maturity. Questions,  Is there any course like Maturity in the University where you can learn how to be mature? Can a man grow to the level of maturity without self education?Can you be mature in all manners? 

      It's a man's own work to grow and develop himself to the level of maturity in all manners and ways. No school teaches you how to be a mature man, you train yourself on how to be, because a time is coming when society and nature will question. 

       The society wants you to be mature because you are old, even though it's all evident that the equation might not be balanced that way, mind you, you can make the equation balance by taking yourself to the school of yourself and learn vastly about everything that can make you mature. When you can't meet the needs of the society, the society snubs you, but you can get what its needs are, you are truly mature.