Acting Like Grown Ups Because We Are

Twice this week, I was greatly appreciated for behaving in a kind manner. In both cases, the people involved compared my actions to those of others they had recently come into contact with. And in one case, a server actually wouldn't accept my tip because he was so grateful that I had been "nice." It's sad to me that people in public places treat those who serve them badly, so I wound up making a joke about acting like a "grown-up." But later, I got to thinking that -- though all of us grow old -- not all of us grow up.

When I was in high school, I vaguely remember having so many clothes on the floor of my tiny bedroom, I had to wade through them to get to my closet. In my twenties, the clutter leaned to newspapers and dirty ashtrays. And in my thirties, my kids' toys were added to the mix. But somewhere along the line, I decided clutter made it hard for me to put my hands on something quickly when I wanted it. So I learned to put things away when I used them. Now, I'm teased that I could probably put my hands on anything in my apartment in the dark. I probably could. At least usually.

Not everybody feels as I do about a tidy abode. But there are other characteristics that most of us consider indicators of adulthood. Paying bills when they're due, for example. Keeping our teeth and bodies clean enough that we don't smell offensive to others. Trying our best to get and keep a job if we need one (and many of us do). Few of us would applaud someone for doing these things. Yet, when we are diagnosed with diabetes, many of us are so horrified that we become resistant to doing the very things we need to do to manage our condition.

Few of us would say, "The rent is due, but I don't feel like paying it, so I won't." We shower and brush our teeth without even thinking about it -- even if we live alone. And any of us still employed full time (as I am) wouldn't dream of pissing off the boss on purpose as a rule, even when we're quitting. Because all of these things have consequences we don't want. And when we see these behaviors in others, we shake our heads in dismay or disbelief.

Yet, millions of us don't check our glucose levels, eat whatever others are eating, blow off the doctors' instructions, sit in a chair in front of a television as if we're glued to it, and "forget" to take our insulin or other meds. Like naughty children daring our bodies to give us a figurative spanking. A very bad idea.

Why would we be responsible in every area of our lives except for the most important one? Why would we act like grown-ups one minute and ten-year-olds the next? We can do better.