Puberty is such a confusing time. You are still a child, with

The words of Maimouna Doucouré—“Puberty is such a confusing time. You are still a child, with all that wonderful naïveté and innocence, but your body is changing, and you're self-conscious and curious about its impact on others all at the same time.”—speak with the quiet gravity of one who understands the fragile threshold between childhood and adulthood. They are not words of idle observation, but the voice of a guide who has seen how turbulent this passage can be. For puberty is not merely a physical shift—it is a spiritual crossing, when innocence collides with awareness, when the soul must reckon with forces it has never known before.

The ancients described this stage in their myths and rites of passage. The Greeks told of Persephone, maiden of spring, taken suddenly into the underworld, forced to dwell between innocence and experience. So too is the journey of every youth: one moment basking in the light of play and laughter, the next plunged into self-consciousness, desire, and the dawning weight of identity. Doucouré’s words echo this eternal tension—innocence and curiosity, childhood and awakening, coexisting in a single, trembling heart.

History too reminds us of the struggle of this age. Consider Joan of Arc, who at just thirteen began to hear voices she believed divine, and at seventeen led armies into battle. She was still a child, with wonder and purity in her heart, yet her changing body and growing mind carried her into roles far beyond her years. Her story shows how this transition can be bewildering, for the world begins to expect much of those who are still, in truth, learning what it means to live. The confusion Doucouré describes is not weakness but the very fabric of becoming—an ancient fire by which every soul is tempered.

At puberty, the body becomes both familiar and strange. A youth may blush at their reflection, curious yet uncertain, sensing the eyes of others and wondering what power or vulnerability lies there. The self-consciousness Doucouré names is universal, for to become aware of oneself is to awaken not only to the gaze of others, but to the burdens of comparison, longing, and shame. And yet, within this unease lies the seed of empathy, for only when we know ourselves as fragile can we begin to honor the fragility of others.

Beloved listener, the meaning is clear: this confusing time is also sacred. For just as the storm shapes the mountain, so does the turbulence of adolescence shape character. The child who once played without care begins to question, to imagine, to desire, to fear. These feelings, bewildering as they are, are the raw clay from which wisdom and compassion are formed. To dismiss or belittle this stage is folly; to guide, nurture, and protect during it is the duty of elders.

The lesson for us is this: honor those in transition. Do not mock their awkwardness, for it is the struggle of transformation. Do not rush them toward adulthood, nor chain them to childhood, but walk beside them as they cross the bridge. Parents, teachers, elders—all must remember that puberty is not merely a stage of growth but a sacred trial, one that shapes the soul for the journey ahead.

Practical wisdom demands this: speak gently with the young, listen to their fears, and create safe spaces where their innocence is respected and their curiosity guided. Teach them not to fear their bodies, nor to be enslaved by the gaze of others, but to see in themselves the beginning of strength and beauty. And for those passing through it—remember that confusion is not your enemy but your companion, the sign that you are growing into something greater than you yet understand.

So let Doucouré’s words remain with us: “Puberty is such a confusing time…” Yes, confusing, but also essential, a forge of the spirit. From the mingling of innocence and self-consciousness emerges the adult heart, tempered with both wonder and wisdom. Cherish this time, guide it with care, and trust that the confusion of today is the foundation of tomorrow’s strength.