Taking Charge

Life is a little like the season’s last box of strawberries. There are those who know how to handle them and there are those who have not figured it out yet. Last of season berries are very perishable and demand immediate attention. If you have a gallon of them, you need to know what you are going to do with them before you get home. If you walk into a room with someone working on a gallon of berries, there is likely lots of room to help. Life being context sensitive, not everyone is experienced in creating strawberry freezer jam, but mashing berries is not rocket science either. Knowing how to ask where to help is a key life skill.
You do not measure adulthood by how people handle strawberries. It is hard to tell if someone has become an adult. Age it seems is irrelevant. I identify someone as an adult by their behaviors. Mostly I am looking at this from a family perspective not as someone in the workforce.
The first clue of adulthood I look for is someone who can take charge of a situation without any instruction. Some people are much better at identifying what needs to be done and immediately jump into action. They can tell what is holding back the situation and solve the problems so everyone functions more efficiently.
The next behavior that I find important is understanding that there are some things which only get done when you realize there is no one coming to your rescue.. The only way out of the situation is for you to step up and fix things yourself. You find the strawberries on the counter. No one else is in the house. The berries will rot if something is not done. Adults will do something.
Finally, the most important trait is figuring out that the world does not revolve around you. In the same vein, you must realize that helping others is what gives meaning and depth to your life
A box of fresh strawberries that taste like summer can brighten someone’s day. Someone who evaluates everything from the perspective of pleasing themselves while ignoring others might end up a very lonely soul because they never grew up.