Cliche though it may seem, my entire day yesterday could be equated to a rollercoaster ride. There were the anticipatory climbs, followed by the stomach-wrenching falls, and the dizzying loops. And there was one constant, the almost involuntary movement forward, the knowledge that I had stepped into the car, I had been locked in, and I would be dragged through the ride until it had reached its end. I had two options: I could close my eyes, scream, and cry, and ultimately ruin the experience for those sitting around me; or I could suck it up, I could laugh, with my arms in the air as I raced through the bends and plummets of the track, and if things got to be too much, I could place my hands on the bar, clenching with white knuckles, privately consumed in fear, but in no way inhibiting the ride for the others.

And then I realized how important it can be to simply listen, accept, and nod in agreement. This has, more or less, been the lesson of the year for me. More so than anything, this year has taught me the value of silence.

I want to say that I've finally unearthed some coveted path to maturity, that I've finally discovered the transcending path from childhood to adulthood. Afterall, this is perhaps one of the most fundamental obstacles of life, learning that it's not always about voicing your own opinion, or about pursuing your own happiness without consideration of any other, it's about accepting the fact that there are lives connected to your own, whether you like it or not. You're going to have to give in sometimes, occassionally submit to authority, and face the consequences of your own decisions.

I'd love to believe that I've finally made this discovery for myself, but I cannot say that, because it also occured to me that these are lessons that have been pounded into our heads from birth.

In truth, the stepping stones to shedding childish impertinence can be found in three doctrines any kindergarten classroom exalts:

The Golden Rule

Treat others the way you'd want to be treated. There's so much more to this than not hitting the kid who beat you in hopscotch. It's putting yourself in another person's shoes. It's learning to consider the feelings of another, and not acting out of selfishness. It's the recognition of another life, and the fact that we cannot always have what we want; sometimes we have to give in, for the sake of preserving harmony.

Sharing

Once again, others must be taken into consideration. There's a process to go through if there is something you want. You wait your turn, and you honor the turns of others. In other words, we cannot force ourselves into situations in which we don't belong. We also cannot exhaust a 'turn,' cannot tire of a toy, and then immediately decide to reclaim it once another child shows interest. There's an order to things that must be honored.

If You Can't Say Anything Nice, Don't Say Anything at All

This is the big one I think. It's the hardest to abide by. It's impulse to speak out, to give your opinion. If something is contrary to what you believe, it seems right to criticize. There seems to be so little to say about this one, because it is so fundamental. But, as I said, it's the most difficult one to finally grasp. In a lot of ways it encompasses the previous two doctrines, in the sense that the lives of others must be taken into consideration. Words go a long way, whether it's gossip, an honest expression of opinion, or a confession of one's own feelings. Sometimes these things are unwelcomed, and it's our place as individuals to take it upon ourselves to consider others, and to refrain from expressing certain thoughts if they'll hurt another.

And there it is. In what we've been told since we were old enough to formulate coherent thoughts, we've been given the key to maturity, the key to living an adult life. It's simply the acceptance and the acknowledging of our equivalence (rather than superiority) to those around us.

That's all I have left to say.