"I hope they call me on a mission"

With a son awaiting his call to serve a full time mission, I've found myself reminiscing a bit. It really doesn't seem that long ago when I was the little kid singing the Primary children's song about going on a mission when I had "grown a foot or two".

So just exactly when do we grow that "foot or two" from childhood to adulthood? I realize its pretty easy to look at the growth chart or to track the pencil marks on the wall showing when we grow physically from being 3' something to 5' something. And we can trace back even further to when we were born and our height was measured in inches and described as our "length". Which is sort of a curious thing about our language. I mean really, when was the last time somewhat asked what your length is? It would seem pretty goofy or lame but we do it all the time for newborns. But I digress.

This process of aging and growing intrigues us. We spend a lot of time and resources coming up with new, creative ways to measure growth. Medical scientists are ever seeking better ways of measuring how (and why) biological process occur. Imaging scientists are using software and principles of electron behavior to create images that can then be matched and registered to other images over time in such a way that we can "see" and accurately measure biological growth. That increasing body of knowledge is now peeking into the molecular, sub molecular, genetic and sub-genetic levels of biological growth. As a society we now have tools to better inform us as we ponder deep and fascinating questions about cell regeneration and tissue growth. As we chase away the shadows and pry beneath the rocks within our genetic code new secrets will emerge. And yet, the fundamental questions will persist as to just exactly how and when this thing we call "aging" actually takes place.

With trees we measure height, diameter and count rings to determine biological age. With horses we record height, weight and look at wear patterns on teeth and hooves to determine biological age. With humans there are many physical factors used to determine biological age. Its pretty obvious that the bald, paunchy guy sitting at his computer is older than his children and at some point has "grown a foot or two". But exactly when did it happen? And beyond the whole subject of biological aging is the deeper journey to understanding our actual age.

I remember a number of conversations I had with my own father about growing older. He used to make the comment that he felt that his spirit was basically the same age as it had been since he was a teenager. I remember thinking that was kind of a weird thing for someone to say. Surely he felt older and wiser and more mature. But I wondered about what my dad was saying and whether my experience would be similar as I grew up. And now- 30+ years later, I find it amusing (and a little troubling) that my spirit still feels about as mature (or immature) as it felt when I was talking to Dad about this as a biological 14 year old. Having a middle-aged guy's physique helps disguise an immature spirit most of the time, but there are those moments. Just ask my kids.