The true adult is not merely a young man grown a little older. He has a new mentality; he is preoccupied with wider questions, questions to which the youth does not yet advert. He understands the younger generation, but the younger generation does not understand him; conversation between them on certain subjects, except of a very superficial kind, is impossible.

There is a somewhat similar relation, in the spiritual life, between the proficient and the perfect. He who is perfect understands the earlier stages through which he has himself already passed; but he cannot expect to be understood by those who are still passing through them.

--Pere Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., The Three Ways of the Spiritual Life

The annoying thing about life is that just when you think you have passed through enough stages, you find you have more still to navigate. Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange's words here only make sense to me as far as the natural life of man goes. I don't think I even understand the concept of spiritual stages of growth yet--at least on any meaningful level--and that just shows how young I still am in relation to the ultimate goals of my life; something I already knew, but I cannot be reminded of it too often. I do fear failure at times, but the wrong kinds of failure. I am probably still flailing, not even a "proficient," but an infant still flailing in her Parent's arms.