I am convinced that most people do not grow up. We find parking spaces and honor our credit cards. We marry and dare to have children and call that growing up. I think what we do is mostly grow old. We carry accumulation of years in our bodies and on our faces, but generally our real selves, the children inside, are still innocent and shy as magnolias.We may act sophisticated and worldly but I believe we feel safest when we go inside ourselves and find home, a place where we belong and maybe the only place we really do.
Maya Angelou expresses a profound observation about the nature of growing up versus growing old. She suggests that while people may take on adult responsibilities such as jobs, marriage, and parenting, this process does not equate to true maturity. Instead, she believes that many individuals merely accumulate years while their inner selves remain untouched, maintaining the innocence and curiosity of childhood. This perspective challenges conventional views on adulthood and invites reflection on what it truly means to mature.
Angelou emphasizes the importance of introspection in finding a sense of belonging. Despite external appearances and societal expectations, she argues that true comfort and safety lie within our inner selves. The metaphor of the child within, represented as shy magnolias, signifies the purity and simplicity that often gets overshadowed by adult complexities. This encourages readers to reconnect with their authentic selves, recognizing that inner peace may be found by retreating to that deeper, younger part of oneself.
