Maturation

     Growing up on a farm leads a young man to learn about processes that occur in the world in a slightly different way than that of an individual growing up in the city being educated primarily in school on the matter. Words have always been a love of mine, my stepdad taught me to love words by frequently reading to me. One word that I specifically remember vividly, mostly because I had such a struggle learning to pronounce it properly, is the word “Maturation,” and it always amazed me how the fate of an animal or crop would be determined through his use of this word. Maturation is defined as the process of maturing, the emergence of personal and behavioral characteristics through growth processes.
     Looking back on those simple times of watching a crop of corn reach full maturation before harvest, I realize that I have also witnessed something slightly more gratifying. Having seen the birth of my son, my eyes have viewed the maturation of a pregnancy. Moreover, I am able to reflect on quite a bit of self-maturation as I have put away childish things of my past and am now picking up on things that make me as a role-model, a father, even a fully matured man. I find it so humbling how this little boy has created such a change in me that can be described only as total maturation.
     As goes the circle of life, I now see that I am, in a small sense at least, back at my beginnings watching maturation take place. Now, instead of watching some pig pack on the pounds or watching a crop of barley going to seed along the journey to maturation, I am watching my son progress through all of the milestones that will lead him ultimately to adulthood. His first words being formed out of his tiny little mouth, his first steps, and his first day at school all are examples of him moving forward at a steady pace towards his maturation. 
    Regardless of how you view it, a self-actuation of the process, or a third person point of view, watching this, the process of maturation is extremely rewarding. This can be viewed all around you; in your garden, your pets, even your children, the process of maturation is noted. If you look hard enough you will probably even find at some point that you, yourself have embarked on the great voyage that is maturation.