Adulthood

    What is adulthood? I've been thinking about this question lately. It seems as if there is no universal age that represents it. The path to it is different for everyone. The journey is never easy, but once reached, it is a satisfaction.

     I am an adult. I feel that I have made enormous strides into adulthood in Kakamigahara, Japan. I'd like to share these strides with you. Two realizations in particular. Two pillars that made me an adult. Two pillars that could help someone navigate there own path.

Reliability.

    There is something maturing about waking up each day and knowing that people rely on you. There is a sense of purpose when you enter the day knowing that you are responsible for helping others. For me, this was realized through teaching. I had to develop myself into a reliable teacher. Someone who would not only show up, but show up with a positive attitude. Someone who you could count on. 

    I felt responsible to be reliable for each student because of their spirit. The people of all ages who brightened my day gave me the task of returning the favor. My mornings were fueled by the opportunity to engage with students in the classroom. My evenings were for reflection. This cycle has continued for 10 months now. During this cycle, there were spirits in my classroom. People who taught me a sense of reliability towards others.

Appreciation.

    Once you learn to appreciate, you learn to live. This learning helped me achieve the true feeling of adulthood. This took some time, though. It seems as if society sets us up to take things for granted. To not appreciate shelter, food, or water. These things are so normalized from birth, that we tend to not be happy that we have them. Once I learned to literally appreciate everything, my entire life became a flow state.

    The morning cup of coffee. The 9 hour work day. The bike ride home in the pouring rain. It all taught me to be thankful for life. For existence. For health. For challenges. For achievements. For struggle. Stressful moments exist in everyone's day, but if this were not the case, life would be dull. I rest my head each night with the blessing of a pillow to support it. I appreciate my time on this earth. I hope this helps you do the same.

J.S