I have had a refreshing thing happen lately.
I have had the opportunity to read, interact in conversations with and work with a few people of ‘the younger generation’.
I am encouraged.
I was starting to fall into a predictable pattern of ‘old man’ habits and wondering if, when the zombie apocalypse happens who would be available to stand in the gap from the younger generation as has happened in the past. Not with zombie apocalypses but with wars, conflicts and policing actions around the world.
Looking at some of the 18 – 20 year olds today leaves me a bit nervous about that.
The folks I have been reading and talking to are not the physical soldiering type if you look at them but they carry the same light when it comes to common sense, ideas about what freedom is and have a good bead on what their purpose in life is, a good of bead as some one 20 years old can have anyway. And that is not a ‘veiled discouragement’ comment, I mean it, they seem to be well aware of themselves.
That is very refreshing.
One of the things I have noticed with a young man I work with, we both like movies and so we test each other once in awhile and I can see he has an alleyway for his viewing experience.
Now one or two have been surprises, he knows the Danny Kaye movie , The Court Jester, and was just as surprised when I remembered some of the ‘flagon with the dragon and the chalice from the palace’ routine. It was a funny exchange, he remembered the whole thing.
It is a responsibility of one generation to pass on knowledge to the next generation, even though we know most kids don’t seem to be listening.
But how are you to learn anything or take advantage of someones experience if no one talks to you, teaches you, or reminds you of things that need to be passed along.
In Joshua chapter 4 the Israelite’s were commanded to bring twelve stones up out of the Jordan river and set them up as a memorial. They were also commanded to tell their sons about what happened at the Jordan when they asked what the stack of stones was there for.
Dads, the good one’s, try to instill positive virtues of manliness in their boys and how to be a lady into their girls.
But that is a dying art nowadays.Â
I didn’t know what being a man was, how could I teach it to anybody?
But Grandpa’s it seems still get it right.
I’ve seen one of the reasons. They have lived through life and with longevity usually there is a wisdom that settles on a man like the old red and black flannel shirt and Aqua-velva after shave they wear all the time.
As I develop myself one component that I see coming into view is that of one who bridges the generational gap for people.
Young or old.
Helping folks get from here to there.
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