What does it mean to be to grown up?

 

Often times growth is associated with chronological age. So there is lot of pride in believing how big I am or how tall I am every birthday I cross.

Few times do I reflect on how much I have grown in terms of my actions, beliefs, values systems and reponses to the context? We stay in a myth of growth with every generation but little do we realise that the finest level of awareness can bring about a response or an action which is better than the last moment.

This kind of awareness requires immense amount of sensitivity, intuition and a constantly feeling barometer which enables to measures whether I have grown taller, shorter or I am the same.

Often times I have realised that I have not grown but gone aeons behind from where I stand today. So what is the trigger, the motivation and the clue that guides me in my journey of life?

I do not wish to pass a value judgement on human beings who do not grow or just struck there. But I would like to offer an invitation for each one of us to ponder over which areas we have grown. The areas could be emotional, intellectual, social, and philosophical or even at the action level what I end up doing.

As a collective if each one is able to ponder and try and grow even half an inch taller every moment of his life, we would be living in a very sensitive, responsible and humanitarian world.

Do I think what is my contribution to the society, to the environment, to the family that I lived in, to my social contexts? Otherwise I remain only a consumer in this world. This consumption from all creates immense depletion from the physical and emotional resources of the world.

Even a little child or the oldest man has the ability to think and feel as to his own actions and reactions to  his life.

If I want to reflect on my own pattern I too can own up that. There have been periods of highs and lows at times totally stuck in a non-responsive, insensitive, not worried stands. For example if I want to reflect on my usage of plastic or plastic bottles I still am a greater consumer or doing damage to the world. Many a times I have reflected and wish that I create an organic waste disposal system in my home. So that there is more natural creation of natural resources and I am not only a waster. When I also look at my cupboard the number of clothes and shoes that I have I ask myself whether I need all this or can be benefited to a poorer community around me. When I cook food which is 2 times more what is needed, I do not reflect on the wastage that is cause in kitchen.

Similarly there could be lots of examples of daily wastage where I have been irresponsible citizen and I asked myself how much I have grown or not grown in that particular domain.

Author:- Dr. Nayana Shah (Ph.D.)

                Director, Manthan

               Ahmedabad


Comments

  1. MukeshJuly 6, 2021 at 1:13 AM

    I guess what is required is sustainable growth both at individual and at macro level on the economic front. Small is beautiful and minimalist living are the mantras to achieve that. As for personal growth a beginning is made when we start challenging our underlying beliefs to gain new perspective on any issue. Unlearn to keep learning allows one to keep growing in mind which then gets reflected in interactions with others.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Purnima S.July 7, 2021 at 6:39 PM

    I didn't realize I was showing up as unknown when I commented on a previous post. I don't know how to fix it. One can also grow tangentially through the experiences and achievements of others. Reading does that for me ( including your blog). Very well expressed. This is Purnima S. btw.

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