BEING MATURE

A physically mature person has a body that has naturally maximized its development with age.

A mentally mature person has developed a cognitive ability to think accurately, adequately, and independently.

A socially mature individual is a person who is willing to respond appropriately to his or her own needs and to respond benevolently to the needs and wants of others for whom he or she is responsible.

An emotionally mature person is one who accepts reality and continuously adjusts his or her perspective to changes in ways that enable him or her to do the best he or she can while enjoying every moment.

WINNING TAKES DETERMINATION, PERSISTENCE, COURAGE, AND PERSEVERANCE--EVEN IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY

Don't You Quit (Author Unknown)

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit- Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a fellow turns about When he might have won had he stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow - You may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than It seems to a faint and faltering man; Often the struggler has given up When he might have captured the victor's cup; And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out - The silver tint in the clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are, It might be near when it seems afar; So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

TWELVE VIRTUES WITH THEIR PRECEPTS (by Benjamin Franklin)

These Names of Virtues with their Precepts:

1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to Dullness. Drink not to Elevation.

2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or your self. Avoid trifling Conversation.

3. ORDER. Let all your Things have their Places. Let each part of your Business have its Time.

4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY. Make no Expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e. Waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY. Lose no Time. Be always employ'd in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful Deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE. Wrong none, by doing Injuries or omitting the Benefits that are your Duty.

9. MODERATION. Avoid Extremes. Forbear resenting Injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no Uncleanliness in Body, Clothes, or Habitation.

11. TRANQUILITY. Be not disturbed at Trifles, or at Accidents common or unavoidable.

12. CHASTITY. Rarely use Venery [sexual indulgence] but for Health or Offspring; Never to Dullness, Weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.

DEISM MAKES MORE SENSE THAN THEISM

For the Arguments of the Deists which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much Stronger than the Refutations. In short I soon became a thorough Deist. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Deism is belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe.

The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind.