I watched a young woman today interacting with a group of boys. She offered one of them a shoulder rub. It was innocent, but her actions around these boys was... silly. I thought back to when I was her age (not too long ago) and wondered why my behaviour was different.
Did I miss an important development phase of transition? I asked a friend who runs programs for women with identity issues. Her answer was spot-on.
"I feel the same way sometimes when I look at young women," she said."They just need to go through some tough times to learn important lessons." My friend was forced to fend for herself at fifteen, so she skipped the silly girliness.
I realized what she said was true for me too. Leaving home early and having to pay my own bills and rent at seventeen, I grew up early. I went from school boy to responsible adult with no time to mess around. But, that comes with a different set of issues. My limitation is in trusting people easily and judging others for not acting their age.
Did I miss an important development phase of transition? I asked a friend who runs programs for women with identity issues. Her answer was spot-on.
"I feel the same way sometimes when I look at young women," she said."They just need to go through some tough times to learn important lessons." My friend was forced to fend for herself at fifteen, so she skipped the silly girliness.
I realized what she said was true for me too. Leaving home early and having to pay my own bills and rent at seventeen, I grew up early. I went from school boy to responsible adult with no time to mess around. But, that comes with a different set of issues. My limitation is in trusting people easily and judging others for not acting their age.