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Along Life’s Way
Of Limits and
Limitations
By Lois E. Wilson
This excerpt from my poem, “Understanding,” is based on an oft told
story about me when a baby:
Tiny tot touches graceful fern.
Mother frowns and utters a stern, “No! No!”
Baby sits back, makes a babbling mock,
Pulls a leaf from the planted crock. “No!
No!”
After warnings and reprimands,
Mother smacks smartly two small hands.
Baby turns to mother; tears well in both their eyes.
Baby shuttle-shakes his head and then responding cries,”No! No!”
That is probably the time I first realized that life comes with
limitations. Our early ones are usually externally set and enforced by
parents, relatives, and people in authority. Play boundaries, sports’
rules, curfews, choice of friends and activities are all subject to
limits.
I do remember a rebellion of mine at age five against limitations. I
was visiting my grandparents who were of a more restrictive religious
denomination than my parents. I came out the front door wearing what
was called in those days, a sunsuit. It was a play outfit like a bib
overall but with short pants. I did not have a T-shirt under it. My
grandmother wouldn’t let me sit on the porch wearing it. I called my
mother and asked her to pick me up as I wanted to go home.
My grandmother’s concern about body exposure did have a consequence.
During my teen years, I rarely wore shorts and in my 20’s, I quit
wearing them—I do not own a pair. You have to learn your limitations,
and this was a self-imposed one.
There are limits set by schools, government, and other entities. Those
are the ones that can bind us legally. If we break them, it may be a
breach of the law and can lead to penalties and/or expulsion,
In the beginning our parents’ guidance, our religious upbringing, and
societal expectations help keep us within limits. We develop an inner
voice (conscience) that aids us in determining the route we will travel
when it comes to temptation. Can we make good choices?
I have found that the older one grows, the more limitations we impose
upon ourselves. Many are health related. No matter how long we proceed
along life’s way, there will always be limitations.
In our lives, we can save ourselves a lot of anguish and trouble if we
learn from our life experiences, if we impose prudent self-limitations,
and most of all, if we recognize our limits, and honor them.
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