Life was moving at an even pace. I was a happy, divorced mother of three with only one left in the nest. The even pace stepped lively with work, friends and family. I could not have imagined that all of that was about to change.
Now this is not a story of tragedy or bold adventure, but rather a simple story of a quiet coming of age. Most would probably expect a coming of age to follow the cumulative years of angst associated with teens and young adults. Mine however, came at a time of advancement. While society no longer claims me as a young woman and I have certainly yet to conquer the concept of the mature woman, I am none the less chronologically middle-aged. Some might question at this point if what I allude to is a true coming of age or just a traditional midlife crisis.
Midlife, yes it is true that this transformation has come in my life’s middle, but let me assure you there is no disaster or calamity. No crisis here. It’s actually quite the opposite. A satisfied and content woman’s life transformed by a serenity that can only be found in the reflection of one’s self in another. You see, love finds you when you least expect it.
Now, I could describe this unique being with his physical attributes, of which he has many for he is tall and handsome with soulful smiling eyes. All of which I found to be very agreeable from the start! Yet, as the physical represents a strong element of polar attraction, reality signals the importance of responsibility. Always the responsible one, I did not allow myself to linger on such niceties because, this was after all a professional relationship with at most only a sideline flicker of observation. And more importantly, one of us was very married. And so, after a fleeting v...
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...tentiously asked me out on a date. It is fair to presume that his efforts did not unleash a fury of offenses, but rather this was a second retrieval of contents. My woes had been released long before our friendship rooted. However, with his simple but genuine gesture, just as with the second opening of Pandora’s Box, he unleashed the promise that life holds happiness.
So, is this coming of age just another anti-climatic love story? Some may say yes, but to me it is so much more! It is a new beginning filled with opportunity a reminder that second chances are worth the risk. This man, my friend with turned key, laid before me a foundation of trust that we are building a future on together. Lock picker no more, he brought us to a mantra that is simply encoded on all of our written conversations as “ah”, always in my heart, always, all ways.
ah
Coming-of-age stories commonly record the transitions—sometimes abrupt, or even violent—from youth to maturity, from innocence to experience of its protagonist, whether male or female. Greasy Lake by T.Coraghessan Boyle and Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates are great examples of traditional coming-of-age stories. The roots of the coming-of-age narrative theme are tracked in the male protagonist’s perspective for Boyle’s short story, while the Oates’ story captures the coming-of-age theme from Connie; a female protagonist’s perspective. In both short stories, the authors fulfill the expectations of a coming-of-age genre when they take us through the journey of rebellion and self realization, as the
When I told Mr. Man I had great insight into people, often within seconds of meeting them, he was quick to ask for specifics about him, his eyes widening in the hopes of capturing me. My keen instinct told me he was eager to see inside me, far more than inviting me into his world. His navigation efforts played out through the night and into the following week.
In short, this is a story of a random meeting of two strangers, and an attraction or feeling that is overlooked and ignored. A man describes a lady such that you could only envision in your dreams, of stunning beauty and overwhelming confidence of which encounters of the opposite sex occur not so very often. The mans attraction is met by a possible interest by the lady, but only a couple flirtatious gestures are exchanged as the two cross paths for the first time and very possible the last.
The coming of age experience is an important time in a person’s life. It is described as the time period in which a young person changes from a child to an adult. During this time, the person matures emotionally and physically. They become more understanding of the world around them. In “The Catcher in the Rye”, Holden Caulfield’s life is in shambles after he is kicked out of school. In contrast, Esther Greenwood from “The Bell Jar” seems to have it all: a glamorous internship, high grades, and a successful career. Salinger and Plath express their feelings through the coming of age experience of their protagonists in their novels to illustrate the different backgrounds, the feeling of being insecure, and their similar attitudes toward superficiality.
?It remains clearly a newlywed 's story, fresh with the author 's anxieties, hopes, and fears. This
When you think about life and death, are you excited to live or are you scared to die? For many people all over the world, this becomes an intense thought and concern when they’ve reached a certain age. Suddenly, their life starts to flash before their eyes but slowly, as if taunting them that their youth has been lived and death is approaching. Or so it seems. There have been many studies to determine whether or not the “midlife crisis” is fact or fiction and I believe that The Swimmer by John Cheever reflects this myth in a thought-provoking and self-assessing way.
Coming of age occurs when people decide the path they desire to take in life through relationships, society, and favorable assets.
Extensive demographic and cultural shifts have taken place over the past few decades that have made late adolescence and early twenties into a new transitional developmental period known as emerging adulthood for young individuals across industrialized societies. Arnett (2000) argues that emerging adulthood is a “distinct period of the life course” that is “characterized by change and exploration of possible life directions” (469). Additionally, a critical area of identity exploration during emerging adulthood is love and romantic relationships. Arnett contends that “demographic changes in the timing of marriage and parenthood in recent decades has led to prolonged periods of adolescence and delayed adulthood transitions” (470). By postponing
In her famous short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” Joyce Carol Oates shows the transition from childhood to adulthood through her character Connie. Each person experiences this transition in their own way and time. For some it is leaving home for the first time to go to college, for others it might be having to step up to a leadership position. No matter what, this transition affects everyone; it just happens to everyone differently. Oates describes Connie's unfortunate coming of age in a much more violent and unexpected way than the typical coming of age story for a fifteen year old girl.
A brand new life spreads out in front of me, which has affected me mainly in three
Williams, R. H., & Wirths, C. G. (1965). Lives through the years: Styles of life and successful aging.
Coming of age is a huge step towards adulthood. At this period, one is filled with responsibilities and privileges. While young adults are free and privileged to do what they want, many are foolish and make mistakes that could affect the rest of their adulthood. Samuel Johnson's "To Sir John Lade, on His Coming of Age" and A.E. Housman’s "When I was One-and-Twenty" describe the experience of the coming of age. Through the use of different point of views and tones, the poets each describe their different views and experiences with the coming of age and how their ideas and experiences connect and link to a greater understanding of adulthood.
Everyone that have ever lived to adulthood, understand that difficulty of the transition to it from childhood. As of right now, I am in the prime of the “coming of age “transition. The overwhelming pressure of our society that forces the adolescence to assimilate the social norms is felt by many. Just as in our first steps, our first words or anything that is expected in our human milestones, coming of age is one of them. It may variety from different societies, religious responsibility or modern legal convention; everyone had to reach this point eventually.
Every experience we go through will, in some way or another, help each of us to develop understanding. Coming of age is a life-long journey, but there are major events or experiences you can go through that will play an important part in become an adult. As time goes by, we will all experience trials, blessings, heartache, joy, and love; each of these periods in our lives will have an extraordinary impact upon who we become. These escapades, will enable us to come of age. The importance of coming of age develops from the experiences that create memories, teach life skills, and inspire character.
There was a door that I had never gone in. It stood out in the middle