Arrested development.

     That is what we call it when someone or something fails to move forward from where they are in terms of both giving and receiving.  Sometimes this arrested development is positive and yet at other times the phrase is not complimentary.  When I think of the phrase the first image that comes to mind is of my feeling like I'm in my mid 30's when I'm 61.  Quite a disparity in ages.  The only part of me that feels my age are my joints.  Mentally I feel like I am in my mid 30's and act or react in like manner.  However, fact triumphs over fiction every time.
     Physically the number of presentations of disability are constant.  When they are at their worst I feel my body is old.  Maybe even worn out.  My list of medications are another indicator of the level of need for drugs to make my body and mind relax as much as possible.  "When I was (insert age) 20, I was in the best shape of my life."  Have you said that?   I have and think this more than admit it to my world.  "Act your age!" is another statement that needs attention.  Just what am I doing or not doing that is age related?  Jesus told us to have faith like that of little children.  Can I have that faith and yet not grow up?  So, I take my pain medicine and try to be my age physically the best I can while fighting the inner child that wants to go take a 3 mile hike in the mountains. 
     Emotionally we are all stuck somewhere. in la la land.  Try as we might there are parts of our emotional makeup that causes us to be stuck.  It's not like we w ant to be stuck.  It's more of an area of our lives where we haven't said "hello" or "goodbye" to.  Childhood trauma links us to the past just as much as being spoiled.  Most parents don't have a blueprint on constructing a balanced child who grows into a balanced adult.  There are parallel lines going on in our life at any one time.  We may have age 3 going into a board meeting at 30.  We may have old age forcing us to act and be old with others.  There are also times when we have to "man up" when we really don't want too.  To say thee are differences between man and woman emotionally is the greatest understatement ever!  In other areas of our lives we may not have such a strong reaction.  However, emotionally we are reminded through any number of events that we are either underdeveloped or overdeveloped and how it affect our relationships.
     Intelligence is our third area where we treat age in any of a various ways.  Intelligence is defined differently by our current age of development.  We may be young with an old person living inside as well as old but with a young person directing our lives.  In both cases we can get into trouble with others so easily.  With the development (or lack of) of our lives there is also the expectation of others who are "incorrect" in acting their age.  This is a balance point in most peoples lives.  The same could be assigned to our physical and emotional development as well.  At a certain age those around us leave us alone because of our refusal to be what others want. 
     Spiritually, we all have the same blank page when we are just beginning life.  That page is created by those around us.  This is in spite of where they are in their own development.  There are children who lose their childhood while there are others who never seem to leave their childhood.  The Bible tells us to be both a child and an adult.  The faith of a child and the ability to run the good race for the older person are constraining factors.  When we leave childhood many keep intact their reliance on God as they were when they are when an adult. 
     We tend to be attracted to people who have grown to our level of maturity.  Being in love with yourself is probably one of the easiest and hardest tasks we try to accomplish.  We are commanded to love one another.  We are told that the greatest gift from God is love.  Many never move out of childhood and into adulthood.  Our love becomes subjective to where our development.  For many that means not being able to love themselves because of how they see themselves.  Finding someone to be with is often disastrous.  God wants us to be like him while those in the world around us want us to be like them.  Being able to meet the milestones of OUR life is essential for our relationship with God and others. 
     Yes, there are areas where we can and should be child like.  Just thought I would throw in a random thought.