Science, of any shape is not only entertaining but spell binding. Things that were not even on the horizon, when I was young, are now every day occurrences. I am trying to keep up but there are certain ‘old way’ ideas I still enjoy. Still, some things never change…

Adolescence never changes…..and I’ve got a lot of questions about it when I meet God…or his rep, or associate, or secretary.

I’ve watched people bump along thru their growing years into adulthood and can’t, for the life of me, understand some of the terrible things all have to go through, partake of, choose, be embarrassed by, or just walk away from. One would think after all these years there would be a ‘book’, but no, none to cover the questions we all want answered. I speak of the growing up years from 12 to 18, the age from hell, the time when everything works or nothing works, and all at the most awkward time.

Life seems pretty good up to 12….we’ve learned to walk, talk, and eat with a spoon. We can recognize colors and shapes, and know stop and go. We have learned what yes and no means, however, it will be two words we struggle with the rest of our lives. That goes hand in hand with ‘sharing’….absolutely no fun at all, regardless of ones age.

We are still under someone else’s roof…and don’t have to work for a living…food is usually there 3 times a day, there is a bed, a TV, and someone to keep us clothed.

Then comes adolescence …. one day hair appears. For guys it is crazy good…for gals, it is something to shave or pull out. Both sexes will be that way forever in this regard.

We find our baby powder smell has disappeared…..Again, it is the male side who really doesn’t realize the fragrance of his body odor. The gal, however, is immediately out shopping for wonderful soap, (bar and bath), deodorant that matches, and perfume that overpowers the first two. A little later, she will find that toning down soap and deodorant goes a long way when wearing perfume as a third layer. Still,the guy will be out and about, never realizing the women falling at his feet are doing so because of his smell. The good news is sooner or later, he will be advised by an understanding gym coach that hygiene is necessary.

Admiration of one another will happen without warning. One minute, guys are, as they have been, steering away from anyone of the opposite sex, remarking on all the negative aspects of being a girl. It is understood that being one of the guys and being WITH those guys is the most important thing one can do each day. But in a whisper of the wind, a blink of an eye, a mockingbird melody, their lives will change forever. A heart will be smitten, dedication to other males will be forgotten, and the ability to speak will revert back to that of a 4-year-old.

Girls, on the other hand, will be lucky enough not to have to suffer exactly in that way. They will have been on the lookout for a long time. Their hearts will have been broken more than once….and no one will know except them. Each will work her magic, dazzle the special one with her appearance, delight him with her charm and innocence, and weave the web that will someday become matrimony. (if all goes well)(I repeat someday…)

Truth be known, the male species huffs and puffs, but the female is the pure creation of life. Rules that began, who knows when, continue to curse adolescents…. Why….they just don’t know how or why or when to apply them.

Emotion is the part that God needs to explain….I mean, the poor adolescent is to be felt sorry for sometimes…they walk without falling, unless they are looking at someone they love. Even tho their language is pretty well-defined as are their communication skills it is the emotional rollercoaster that knocks teens for a loop. I know, cause I were one! One day life is the best, no, one hour. The next the emptiness is overwhelming. One morning the sun is shining brightly, and by second period, there are tears in the restroom. One day mom is the best and the next, she is a controlling viper. Dad is the soft touch on a Saturday morning, and by afternoon, after seeing the report card, his daughter is not only studying more, but the computer and phone use are limited. Dang, what happened to age 9? Those were the good ole’ days.

Emotions are given to adolescents at a very difficult time. They are growing, sometimes too fast, sometimes too slow. One is clumsy and one is lithe. One has a beard and one has a hair. One can dance, the other will trip. One will love, the other will long for love.

One will understand, the other will have a temper tantrum. One will drink, the other will stay sober. One will do drugs, the other will walk away. One will forgive, the other will hate. One will be kind, the other will be a bully. And why…what a terrible list of things to endure… Let’s face it, a teen can’t even control what is happening physically, let alone the mental disaster that comes moment by moment with his emotions. It is kind of like the Hulk…

I know there is a plan God…and I know it is too late to change the rules of nature in the next few hundred years. Adolescents will continue to perform and reform. She will be Daddy’s girl one moment and the daughter who considers opening Pandora’s box of horrors the next. He will be the son ‘every mother wants’ who vomits inside the front door because of his first 3 beers in 5 minutes in order to get home by curfew.

And so it goes…..Maybe there is one thing we can do….as adults. We can remember…..with clarity, how we wandered thru the maze of those teenage years, feeling so all alone and desperate, just to make it to the next smile we got from a girl or guy we longed for.