When I’m 64 – Part II: “4-EVER Young”

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Like the collection of photos above, there’s a unifying connection among the posts on this blog.  The issues, as a whole, seemingly reflect a more prevalent trend in our society/culture – increasing immaturity.

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Among adults, there has been increased value placed on retaining “young” qualities, including taking part in nostalgia and portraying our selves as, “cute” – which seems to be distracting and delaying us from our potential roles in adulthood and from the “business of life“…  of becoming relationship builders, nurturers, and contributors to others (see https://beyondthefaceoffacebook.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/dear-chronic-daters/).

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It seems apparent, then, how so many of us are feeling an overall sense of diminished meaning, direction, and purpose in life…

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“Growing up” has become disappointing.

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That is, conceptually, many of us really haven’t left our parents’ home, nor have we gone forward, then (see https://beyondthefaceoffacebook.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/dear-chronic-daters-part-ii-my-new-home/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lqaCtHE31Y).

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With compassion for our selves, we must realize, also, that many of us weren’t taught the skill-set of how to give and nurture… that is, we weren’t taught to be mature.  And we aren’t born knowing (similar to how we, also, aren’t born knowing how to take care of our self).

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We were shown how to consume and value indulgence, instead…

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For many of us, not having learned another way, we are still holding onto the mantra of our formative years, “As long as you’re happy, Dear” – seemingly, the kiss-of-death (and, essentially, an imparted value of convenience and indulgence) from an entitled, post-WWII generation, endowed with abundance (see https://beyondthefaceoffacebook.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/when-im-64/ ).

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“Adults,” since, have been increasingly sustaining billion dollar industries that cater on a mass scale to our growing nostalgia for, and our desire to recreate and escape to, the “happiness” felt in our younger years…

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As many of us continue to runaway from, marginalize, and squander our adulthood (and, thereby our potential), an additional concern is, “WHO will be the family builders, the nurturers of the home, the caregivers, the community volunteers… the builders of life”.

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Young people even recognize the awesome potential associated with adulthood:  “When I grow up, I’m going to…!” 🙂

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Our development into adulthood – maturation – is a process beyond just “arriving” at becoming a “hotty” or at having “attained” a degree, “wealth,” “status,” and, ultimately, an office with a door (see https://beyondthefaceoffacebook.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/remember-college/). 

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“Then what?”

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The “then what” is for us to take the materials (such as the ones shown in the photos) and use/transform them for a higher purpose…

 

…To help elevate each other towards our own, unique purpose for being here – to, ultimately, become a source of support and care to another person – together, cultivating and nurturing life.  Here’s how we might be able to make such a change…  https://beyondthefaceoffacebook.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-changes/

Wishing us maturing success, 

BFf .