“When we were children we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability.”
LEngle redefines maturity as the brave acceptance of vulnerability.
When I was a little duckling, I used to believe that once I grew my feathers and learned to swim strongly, nothing could ever hurt me again. I thought adulthood was a suit of armor that would protect me from every storm and every scraped knee. Madeleine LEngle’s beautiful words remind us that this is a lovely illusion. We spend our youth trying to build walls, only to realize that the true essence of growing up isn't about becoming unbreakable, but about learning how to be soft in a world that can sometimes be quite hard.
In our everyday lives, we often mistake vulnerability for weakness. We think that if we hide our fears, keep our struggles to ourselves, and never show a crack in our composure, we are winning at life. But true maturity is the quiet courage to say, 'I am hurting,' or 'I don't know the answer.' It is the realization that our ability to feel deeply, even when it hurts, is exactly what allows us to feel joy, love, and connection. Without that openness, we might be safe from pain, but we are also closed off from the very things that make life worth living.
I remember a time when I felt I had to be the bravest duck in the pond, pretending that every ripple in the water didn't bother me. I was so focused on appearing sturdy that I felt incredibly lonely. It wasn't until I finally admitted to a friend that I was feeling overwhelmed by the changing seasons that I felt a true sense of relief. By letting my guard down and showing my wobbling feathers, I allowed someone else to swim alongside me. That moment of vulnerability didn't make me smaller; it actually made my world much larger and warmer.
As you navigate your own journey, I want to encourage you to stop trying to be invincible. It is okay to let the rain touch your feathers and to admit when the current feels too strong. Embracing your vulnerability is not a surrender to defeat, but an invitation to intimacy and growth. Today, try to find one small way to be honest about how you truly feel, even if it feels a little bit scary. You might find that in your softness, you discover a strength you never knew you possessed.