Be A Parent To Yourself

I grew up in the 1960s.

I believed, as a teenager, that no one over 30 could be trusted, and the police were my enemy.

Mature means you are equal to all adults.

When I encounter policemen, I sometimes see them as misguided children. A far cry from my earlier perspective.

Maturity is a process. I've taught many adults who were immature and childlike -- to their discredit.

Some people reach maturity in their early twenties. Some adults never attain maturity -- but they could.

Maturity is like singing.

When you are young -- you sing because you want to and no matter how bad it sounds, you enjoy it.

When you are immature -- you sing good because someone MAKES YOU PRACTICE singing.

When you are mature -- YOU MAKE YOURSELF PRACTICE singing because you want to sing good.

That's the kicker: "You Make Yourself" practice. YOU are YOUR PARENT.

Buddha Zhen
Patriarch, shaolinZEN.org