Me? Immature?

I’m not easily annoyed, but on those rare occasions, I find it hard not to be offended when people close to me say that I’m ‘immature’. Often, I think some of my friends misunderstand me, or perhaps they misunderstand what it means to me mature. What is maturity? – Maturity is the ability to control anger and settle differences without violence or destruction. Maturity is patience. It is the willingness to pass up immediate pleasure in favour of the long-term gain. Maturity is perseverance, the ability to sweat out a project or a situation in spite of heavy opposition and discouraging set-backs. Maturity is the capacity to face unpleasantness and frustration, discomfort and defeat, without complaint or collapse. Maturity is humility. It is being big enough to say, “I was wrong.” And, when right, the mature person need not experience the satisfaction of saying, “I told you so.” Maturity is the ability to make a decision and stand by it. Maturity means dependability, keeping one’s word, coming through in a crisis.

“Maturity is the art of living in peace with that which we cannot change, the courage to change that which should be changed — and the wisdom to know the difference.”

–Anne Landers