Late Bloomers

When your friends are shaving their faces because they already have stubble or your girlfriend is having a growth spurt under her blouse and you are still stuck the same as you've been for seemingly years, you might think you are a late bloomer. What exactly is a late bloomer? Well, typically this speaks of someone who matures later in life physically. Someone who goes through puberty much later than friends or siblings do, or a person, guy or girl, who may be unusually short in comparison to their peers may be called a late bloomer. Have you ever thought of what "other" things that may can be labeled as blooming late? Hmmm.

Growing up we all have had those awkward periods when we began to discover armpit hair, body changes, voice changes or just awkwardness in our coordination. This is all normal and everyone goes through it. I remember in middle school, I had a friend named Laura. All the other girls made fun of her and teased her for having hairy legs. Her parents would not let her shave her legs until she was older, say in high school at least. After 2 years of the teasing, she came to school one day and was as smooth and silky as her gal pals. She had the band aids spottedly place on her legs but her smile was so huge that no one really noticed them. This was a big deal and a coming of age for her.

For me, I had friends in high school who could grow a full beard their freshman year. I was SO intimidated!! I so wanted to be able to get rid of my baby face and don some fuzziness. I thought that would change everything! It wasn't until I was in my college years that facial grooming had to really start happening. My dad in fact could hardly grow anything more than a scattered mustache and certainly not a full beard. I remember him telling me over and over again that I shouldn't even think of having a beard because HE was never able to. Funny how life and the gene pool work out. I can grow a beard with the best of them and I really like the look it gives me and the feel of it as well certain times of the year. I grew up as a singer. All throughout my school age years I sang in choirs, ensembles, small groups, did musical theater and the like. I was fortunate enough that my voice change happened quickly and only made my singing voice more desirable. I've seen a lot of young people who were amazing singers when they were younger, one example is Declan. You can search him on YouTube. His song Tell Me Why is still breathtaking. As he passed through puberty, his voice, well, it didn't do him any favors. He had to adapt and adopt an entire new genre of music to fit what he THEN had grown into. Late Bloomers. Yes, on most all fronts it refers to the physical part of a person. What I want to throw at you is the possibility  and actuality of there being late bloomers mentally and emotionally. While growing up, we fell in and out of love often. We had our first crushes, the ones that broke our hearts and the ones that we will never forget. Beyond that we have all had to look at our growth in choices and our attaining of wisdom.

 As young people we had to learn, some by what we were taught, and some by what we experienced through "on the job training" as it were, what good choices actually meant and what consequence the bad choices might bring. The older people get, we have the ability to learn how to choose more wisely the things that benefit us. Yea, we still make bad choices as adults and as parents, husbands and wives and even as employees and friends. How we choose affects more than just us. Sometimes when we make bad decisions,  we can sever or destroy good friendships, burn bridges and even sabotage our entire life. I know I have done all of the above. Some of my bad decisions I can honestly attribute to not having enough wisdom to make the smarter choices. I think one of the key things we need to do is to be willing to seek out more wisdom from others, resources, and any other tools that are available. There will never be a sign that simply says, "this way to wisdom."

If only it was that easy! Many, many famous persons throughout history were not wise and got by on their common sense. I think they were very fortunate. Others totally grasped the concept of the need for wisdom and spent a great deal of time in pursuing that knowledge. You can search and find all kinds of quotes on wisdom. They are a dime a dozen. Until you actually take some of them to heart, you are kind of like someone who is book smart but who has never applied what he has learned in a real life application.

To truly be the best we can be, late bloomer or not, we MUST choose to be smarter day after day. It is a conscious effort that requires sacrifice, determination and trial and error. This quote to the right is so true. You have to know yourself first. I know situations can arise that leave you really wondering who you are and what you are doing. Take those and learn from them, but first of all, take a little time to regroup. You don't need to have your head all the way tightly screwed on to move forward. You just might have to go forward with a little less break neck speed. It will come. The only people, in my experience, who really just don't get it, don't desire to improve or find solid ground are the ones who have either given up or the ones who never began that quest to begin with. Human beings are amazing creations. Our minds are limitless. Don't compromise by saying "I can't!"  Maybe just say, "I can't, just yet." Believe in yourself, even when you don't want to. There is no mistake too large or no choice too disastrous that you cannot come back from and be a better, more complete, content person. A wise man knows when to speak and when to listen, but a fool babbles constantly in his pursuit. Go and boldly seek your wisdom for this day, this week, this month, this year and beyond. I promise ya, you will like the result!