Rite of Adult Passage

I saw this line written about a movie about a middle-aged couple struggling with infertility called Private Life. So many times we hear about the rite of passage from youth to adult, but the truth is that is just step one. We enjoy many reductions and simplifications in life, and one of the greatest is the child/adult false dichotomy. Like they say, Alaskan aboriginals have 23 words for snow and we should have at least 3 or 4 for being an adult. There is like beginner adult, experienced but yet uncertain adult, and then full adult. I’m not sure how many adults make it to full adult, but I’m sure it’s less than 25%. Most people go through a period, let’s not say middle-aged crisis, because that’s not it, that’s too cliché, but it’s more nuanced about realizing between expectations and reality, about self-confidence and self-delusion, about living for tomorrow and living in the moment. All life is a balance, but being a full adult probably means accepting reality and its limitations, and embracing the path that you are on, without self-reproach or cursing society. In “Private Life” the couple has to come to terms with what is available and acceptable to them about their opportunity to raise a child. This is an example of a real passage of becoming an adult, not some arbitrary bullshit number like 18, 21, or 25. Unfortunately our culture is really terrible at recognizing emotional milestones or creating any supportive structure for rites of passage that are truly significant in an interpersonal or spiritual sense. Remember to always give yourself a break, but challenge yourself to improve as an emotional and spiritual being. Most things just take time, but don’t forget about the kind of path you want to be on. Peace on the STEEM Blockchain @ClumsySilverDad