Growing

It’s amazing to watch your kids grow.  They start out somewhere in the seven pound range, are stumbling around a year later, speaking within another year, reading in a couple more, driving too soon after, and heading to college before you even know it.  You often hear from folks “He/She is getting so big!” as the physical growth is easy to see with our eyes.

But it’s the growth as a person that is so fascinating to me.  How these little things go from being totally dependent to totally independent souls in no time at all.  How they develop in to their own unique entity with their own set of values and beliefs.

Kid’s don’t accept the status quo.  They push, bend and challenge.  They look for what makes sense for them.  For what seems right.  For what makes them happy.  As parents we certainly provide a lot of shaping, but ultimately the decisions — good or bad — are theirs.  What’s all the more interesting is that somewhere between 18 and 40 many of us stop that growing thing — both physically and as a person (discounting of course the “growth” on one’s waist line!).

Why is that?  Why do we stop exploring new things, pushing the boundaries of our world, learning new things, experiencing new things, growing as a person?  Folks will come up with all sorts of reasons; however, in my mind, it’s predominantly an issue of fear of change.  That’s too bad as that fear holds us back from growing in to so much more as a person.

With that in mind:

What are you afraid of that’s keeping you from growing?

As always, thanks for the time.