A work in progress

I'm at an age during which a lot of my friends and acquaintances have small children.  One fellow, who seems rather easily agitated and anxious to begin with, was worrying about his infant's growth at specific periods of time.  I understand that extensive statistics are kept at every stage of a child's growth, especially during those first two years.  However, I'm also aware that children don't hit their various spurts at exactly the same times every time.  As a result, each child is likely to jump all over the place on the percentile scale depending upon when they're measured in relation to their most recent spurt or an upcoming spurt.

Unfortunately, the stereotypical pediatrician would never suggest such a thing because apparently it is their job to raise an alarm to cause panic in the concerned parents.  So when I told this acquaintance of mine "their height varies A LOT at such an early age," his response was "but they still keep stats on it."  Seriously?  Does this guy really think I'm that naive?  I've only known about such statistical records since I was IN HIGH SCHOOL!  I did not know what to say to this guy because I was not prepared for such an ignorant response.  Furthermore, I'm actually not 100% sure if small children really move all over the percentile scale at various times but it would sure make sense if they do.

I'm also at an age during which being single means that people who are older than me (or like to act as if they're older than me) think it's okay to tell me that maybe I'm not called to marriage.  Maybe I am, maybe I'm not.  Either way, they have no business making such a suggestion.  I'm still at the age during which that question is still very much up in the air, so no I'm not quite that old yet.  Furthermore, I look and act younger than what would generally be expected of someone my age.  If someone is going to treat me like I'm "old," then they need to treat me with the respect that someone that age deserves.  But if they choose instead to treat me with disrespect, then they better not treat me like I'm "old" because their lack of respect would suggest the contrary.  Even if I might not be called to marriage, they are DEFINITELY not called to ask me nosy and invasive questions nor are they called to tell me how to live a very personal and intimate aspect of my life.

I am a work in progress.  There may not be visible evidence right at this moment but that does not mean there is any downtime.  Parts of me may need healing that neither I nor anyone else know about.  I may need to develop and learn to be more steadfast in certain ways.  These changes take place in different people at different times and often in different sequences.  They take place in God's time, not in Man's time.  Unfortunately, there are too many "good" Catholics who just don't get this concept (in other words they don't even believe in God) but choose nonetheless to give unsolicited advice about people's personal lives.  Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing.

Mark 4: 26-34