The late, the great Prince Rogers Nelson did say "Act your age, not your shoe size."
Since I can remember, I've been known as precocious. Tell the truth, you thought I was gone say "poppin my collar..." The thing about precocity is that it comes with a great expectation and responsibility. There might be areas in your life where you're well established, considered highly mature, and give the appearance that you've got it all figured out, but who said it was so wrong to be whatever age you are. Is it immature for a child to be a child? Why are children not given the space to be children?
I firmly believe in disciple, but for the purpose of teaching and correcting not for punishing kids for simply being kids. As a high school student, my older sister who was a college student would say things like "oh you're so 16," but what else should I have been? At that time, I wondered what her current self would have called her 16 year old self. I had to be mature because much was expected of me even as a child and it was my nature. There were only so many moments I got to just be 16, but did I not have the right to be just a child?
Just this past Sunday, an usher shared that my church family always forgets how young I am because I act so old. As I'm in my Fran Fine age, the number doesn't matter but just know I'm still in young tender territory. Mmkay! 🥴🤣
I'm at a place in my life where for once, I want to act my age but some things I'm flat out too late for and much maybe just wasn't meant for me, but do I not get to slow down a millisecond so life is just shy of light speed instead of full blazing?
One random day, my friend Rae and I were talking about her brilliant, beautiful baby boy. He's seriously a little genius, so it's easy to forget he's only five that is until he starts talkin' like he's grown. Ain't that how it is? We make kids mini grown people then get mad when they start thinking they're grown. We have to be mindful not to create monsters. He has comprehended so much for even beyond a five year old boy, but he's still five. He still has to be taught respect and boundaries because he can't just have and do whatever he likes. Even geniuses don't know that everything they want in the moment may harm them at times. There are still areas that need development because that's how the brain works. As we grow, the principle remains. There may be certain areas where you are well advanced in, but there will be others that need development or sharpening depending on your stage in life, and that is okay.
Youth is fleeting, I looked up and a nice chunk of mine was gone without a hi or bye mostly in the name of precocity, but now I'm going to soak up what's left and live. It's okay to act your age. I implore us to give babies the freedom to be babies, but to protect them all the more and prepare them as much as possible for the phases to come. I also implore us to nourish the kid in each of our hearts, that piece of us which never fully grows up. There's beauty in every stage if we look intently enough. Now adulting do be ghetto A LOT, but remember it's okay to eat ice cream for breakfast every now and then. You grown. That's acting your age. 😉
Que "Back In the Day" by Ahmad.
If no one has shown you, I love you but God loves you better.
Be blessed.
-K.T. Braxton
P.S. Eat ice cream responsibly. Below are a few Scriptures to meditate on today. Take care y'all. ✌🏽
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:" Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV
"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." 1 Corinthians 13:11 ESV
"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content." Philippians 4:11 ASV
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