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July: Melt-Down Kids

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Beyond the "ME"

Sometimes we think we’ve got it down pat with just a few buzz words. An example: Kids today – who are they? They’re the “ME” generation - over entitled, over indulged, unappreciative, and ungrateful for all that they are given.

Is there truth to this youth bashing or is it just a jaded perception of youth that develops as adults get older? Is it true that “the children now love luxury; have bad manners, contempt for authority, show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise?” Or is that just Plato sounding off about the youth of his time?

Next time you think about maligning a whole generation, think again. Perhaps it’s your own perspective that may have changed or perhaps you’re just noticing surface behavior and remain blithely unaware of the depth of feelings sprouting inside.

With that in mind, I’d like to share with you a poem written by a 12 year old, Jake Grant, who just happens to be my grand-nephew.

Miracles
Why, who makes much of a miracle?
As to me I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the yard of my house
Or look at the sun setting in the western sky
Or fish at a beautiful pond with my brother
Or listen to a story told by my Grandma
Or talk to a wise sage for as long as possible
Or take a peaceful nap in my bed
Or sit under the sun on a sunny day
Or play in the snow after a light fall
Or sit down in the shade of a big tree and just think
Or walking home after buying a new toy
Or having a baseball catch with a friend
These are all, to me, some amazing miracles
I could go on, but there is only so much ink in my printer
To me, every millimeter,
Of every centimeter,
Of every inch,
Of every foot,
Of every yard,
Of every meter.
Of every mile, on this Earth, are miracles
Deep down, in every single person there is a miracle waiting to happen
Whether it’s in a soccer game
Or in Math class
Or at the park
Or when you’re playing the guitar
Or just running around
That miracle, is bound to happen

Pretty impressive feelings, don’t you think? Especially since they are written by a pre-teen who has been blessed with all the good things in life and could just as well be jaded by the many advantages he has had since birth.

So next time you're at your wit’s end because your pre-teen seems to be the prototype of the ME generation, take a deep breath. Now imagine that passionate, profound feelings are budding beneath all that narcissistic, surface stuff. And believe, deep in your heart, that whatever is budding today will blossom into good and beautiful things tomorrow.

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