Feeling Good In The 'Hood

Life isn't a board game.  Life is a city ... and it has many 'hoods.

Early in childhood, there is no dignity.  The average child thinks very little of begging, pleading, pitching a fit, running about naked, whining, crying, bargaining, or generally doing whatever it takes to get what they want (or to get away from what they don't want).  Childhood also seems to give us VERY short memories, which probably contributes to the equation.  Most adults do not remember each time they begged, pleaded, pitched fits, etc as children ... but it sure seemed important at the time.  With all those tantrums and whatnot, some would say that these actions are lack of self-awareness, lack of modesty, lack of ego - but, when all is said and done, if you plug in an adult in any of those situations, you'd probably think that they had little - or no - dignity ... and maybe short-term memory loss.

Teens also lack dignity.  Yes, the level of fit-pitching, whining, crying, or bargaining may be different ... but it is hard and unusual to find a dignity-filled teen.  (A teen running around naked would present entirely other issues, lack of dignity being the smallest problem.)  They have moments of dignity, where the future adult they'll become shines through and it is WONDERFUL to witness, but then they slip back into teenager-hood.

But, somewhere down the line, human grown-ups (which is to say MOST human grown-ups) find their dignity.  That line in the sand we stand behind and say "Yes, I want this outcome and am willing to do most anything to get there ... but there is a limit."  This is the age of "adulthood".

Just when we get comfortable with our dignity ... just when we feel we have the most control over how we present ourselves and we are good with our self-image ... life, once again, starts to slowly chip away at our dignity.

The paperboy or grocery clerk who calls you "Ma'am".
*clink*
The polite teen who turns down their MP3 device in the elevator and apologizes for it being so loud.
*tap*
The coworker who refers to an event in history (several years before you were born) and turns to you to ask you what your memories were of that time.
*crack*
The movie theater cashier who gives you a senior discount ... for your 45th birthday.
*thwap*
The well-intentioned stranger who compliments your children for good behavior by commenting "My but they're using all their manners for Grandpop today, aren't they?"
*thud*

It is the perfect set up that we, as humans, slowly revert back into childhood the older we get.  First fighting and resisting all offers of help ... but eventually accepting the fact that we cannot bend over to tie our own shoes without getting dizzy, cannot read the small writing at the bottom of the form because our arms aren't long enough, and our modesty, our ego, and yes, our dignity, slowly melt away with each event, no matter how small.

And you realize that you're being moved from your existing "hood" to make room for the newer (and younger) residents.

The trick - if there is one - may be to recognize and appreciate the hood you're in when you're there, fully realizing you'll be transitioning to another hood soon enough.  It's when you're asked to move too early that the transition is difficult - when you're still enjoying your dignity and someone else says "we're looking out for you and helping you to get comfortable when you move to your new hood."  No one wants to be reminded that they are temporary residents in their hood.

Now ... get off my lawn and outta my hood.