Something beautiful can emerge in a life as we move through our years and potential decades upon this planet we call earth. More precious that the finest cut diamonds, more valuable than fame and fortune. It squashes the valor of youth, haughty, worldly eyes of beauty and perfection, transforming deeper, more elegant features than anything the media itself can muster. The antithesis of singular talent or ability to rise above another to be admired by masses, absent of vanity and vulgarity this precious, vital, powerful emergence quietly transforms our world, keeping it safe and honorable. Maturity is all this, and more.
When I was teaching in schools, I would often share with my students that we would think it rediculous if a middle school student (or whatever grade I found myself teaching) decided that they knew enough as a kindergartener having never grown beyond that phase in life. If we stop anywhere believing we have learned enough to get us through life, that would be a pathetic moment in any life. Doesn't this make sense? The maturing process is essential, dynamic and most precious commodity we gain as we press through our days and decades upon the face of the earth. Now, if only we could keep our physique and prime beauty of our best days in our youth. But better fleeting youth than persistent immaturity.
This blog emerges out of a time, two nights ago when we cousins, sitting around my aging auntie Nancy and uncle Yasu's dining room table, set the date starting plans for next year's family reunion in Hawaii. In a picture taken by my brother of us all sitting together, one of my cousins was caught, photograpically slouching in her chair. She is the cousin that is most in shape, looking nearly exactly as she did in high school stating that she needed to do more Zumba because of a nearly nonexistent fold crossing her belly after looking at the instant image my brother posted on Facebook.
I say this not to belittle her, because while she focused on her 'flaw', I sat there as the eldest cousin seeing the priceless beauty of the next generation stepping up, taking the mantle of leadership. For we were clearly working together to ensure family connection, me, foisted to the position of eldest patriarch in our family, they being pressed to see the graduation of a sibling also elevated as such. What may seem hard, rose with diamond like beauty to these footprints of faith. Our gathering had become a priceless and most precious memorable time, another of the many had as cousins.
I have come to appreciate my increase in maturity (though many may question its accomplishment with relative frequency). The passage of time has given me eyes to see greater value in things the world frequently gives meager import. We cousins celebrated life together with laughter and uniquely interesting personalities peppering our planning. It was so richly filled with fun and character having a sweetness unattained until then. As I take this moment to revel in and point out the importance and beauty of maturity my soul and spirit rises to more elegant and peaceful thanksgiving as I ponder the maturing of we cousins, rising to the task of keeping family connected. Together we are the rising diamonds of the family. Finely cut and polished by the circumstances of life, we came together to sparkle like a priceless necklace hanging on the neck of our family. More valuable than anything fame and fortune could offer, we assembled.
As I sat in the midst, surrounded by such deep and honorable lives, a gentle, elegant pride welled up inside this simple heart. Not the pride of empty boastfulness, but the kind of pride the most skilled diamond cutter has whenever he picks up a dulled, formless chunk of clear rock, carefully examining all its flaws and inclusions so that he or she can cut and polish the largest and most valuable light sparkling diamond possible. Along with the satisfaction of achieving maximal value and beauty from raw material, adding it to a priceless necklace for some to see. There is beauty and value that rises more richly and with greater elegance than anything the world could tout. You can't buy it. But everyone can own it with increasing measure and meaning every day. More valuable than the largest and finest cut diamond. More important than anything fame and fortune could ever dream of offering. It is the deepening measure of maturity.
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