You must have heard "maturity has nothing to do with age". I have also heard it and always trembled in my heart with fear because I knew I was not becoming mature mentally, i mean more practical or balanced or wise , or worldly wise or things like that. Unlike my younger sister, who is always politically correct, diplomatic and oh so polite in whatever she says (even in anger) I just knew I stand no where. I was always playful, giggling, rebellious and adamant and on top of all argued with my parents while growing up, which of course gave me bad results in future. I was always worrying when will I become mature? When will I sound and be wise and serious looking and pakki in duniyadari... phew... all this, kind of scared me all these years, say after teenage said bye bye.
But recently, I read an interview of Actor Aamir Khan (one of my favourites!) in which through an incident he told that his mental age was much less than his real age. The incident was rather very funny, where he addressed another 39 year old woman as "Aunty"!!!! And of course, he was reminded by his friend about his rather improper salutation ! To which he might have apologized to the lady but replied to his friend that mentally he still feels 21!!
Oh God, what a relief !! Since that day onwards I started taking pride in the fact that I still feel myself as if I am in class XIth (obviously not XIIth !!) I was relaxed that at 35, I am fine feeling like a teenager. I still cannot tolerate a college girl calling me Aunty !!
Well, I don't even look like one ! Have you ever thought about it ? What's yor mental age? Have you also not tried to hide that emotional teenager or a playful giggly girl, or a mischievious little brat behind the covers of your current physical age? I would love to hear you speak, dil se!
Do write a comment and tell me What's Your Mental Age?!
RESTLESS
(An Indian woman blogger who writes about things that affect her life as a woman and as a person. (http://myworldmyperception.blogspot.com)
The social dimension
Let me give you an example of the social dimension. How does a five year old laugh when watching something funny and in public ? Ten year old ? Twenty year old ? Forty ?
Even the same individual will react differently to the same event at different points in their lives. This is the effect of environment and social conditioning. Would your behavior be different if living alone on an island ? Mine surely would . To exist in society, we have to abide by its rules which may change over time but is still restrictive to individuals. It is upto individuals to act freely and bring about change in society by challenging existing mores which no longer serve any useful purpose for the majority.
The social dimension!
Sanjay Ganguly,
I see ur point. This amazes me that how we think about society when we talk of our own age, physical, mental, emotional. How does society come in between?!
Yes, behaving immaturely in something nobody would accept in society, but having a innocent soul, a inquisitive approach to life and enthusiasm for each little happiness, is that no a child like thing? and do we need social approval for that??
anyways, thanks for sharing ur views.
Regard
RESTLESS!
Set your age free
Age is often a function of social expectations regarding age appropriate roles and behaviors . Set yourself free, behave in conjunction with the soul. Solve a binomial theorem while the next moment blowing soap bubbles . There is one truism about age though. Only the old have experience, this by definition. So the teeny boppers cannot know how a Fifty year old feels and may not be able to emulate that mindset, while a Ninety year old can certainly choose to behave like a Three year old and suck his wrinkled thumb and have fun in adult diapers.
Its about yourself!
To me getting matured mentally is a very important thing in life. Personally, it has helped me from being a stubborn, short tempered person to a calm and composed thinking person.
If film stars are saying they are feeling younger than their age, then its a marketing strategy because they need to stay "younger" and thats what their profession is all about! :)
To me its all about how you feel the way you are. If you are happy being like a kid then you should be just that way. If you like to be like a granny and if that makes you happy then you should be just that way.
To me, it should not be what >others< think so you need to change.
It should be what >I< want and hence should have to change. Living for other's opinion is never a good idea. In Indian soceity, if I do what I want, then soceity brands it as selfishness. But thats what the soceity is full of, its full of people who thinks of only about themselves and then complain.
:)
Bhavana
Being yourself is important indeed.
Hey Bhavana!
Glad u brought out this point!
If we are continously trying to look young, remain young, I think that's waste of time. Ageing gracefully is a beautiful stage of a woman's life. Moreoever, the definitions of beauty is changing so much these days, a wrinkle free skin and a zero figure! There is so much more to be, then why be size zero?!!
But contrary to all this, mental age is how u feel about yourself. And it is nothing to do with your birthday candles.
Being mature mentally, taking wise decisions is one dimension of our growth and being able to connect to the little child in us is another.
Regards
RESTLESS!
... depends :)
so for me.. growing old is optional, growing up is mandatory and not the reverse which is logically true.. given that, I am 5, 15, 25,, 35, or 55 at any given time in my little scatterbrainy world, it is hard for me to peg myself frankly. I think age is relative, and the perceptions you attach with it , even more so. So to answer the question, my mental age is exactly what I am feeling at that moment in my soul. So if I am looking sullenly at Santa and realizing, he aint bringing me toys anymore, or in the inner sanctorum of a shrine, the only thing that is in common is I am me.... good bad or ugly..am just plain old me..
Pritha
Pritha, Yes, the perception
Pritha,
Yes, the perception of age cannot be the same all the time. You are right in a way. Each moment, each day, depending on the factors around us, we play various roles, wear various masks and hence feel different emotions and portray different age group behaviours.
But in our hearts of hearts, we know how we feel when we look at a flower? how we feel looking at a group of playful little children? The reactions of our mind, that instant one, without the burden of our current mind state, tells how young we feel. This is purely my opinion dear.
RESTLESS
ok
OK, i have heard many people say that!
Yes!
I sometimes try to stay as child-like as possible.
But, for most of the time, my mental age appears to higher than my real age? :O :( :(