These Damn Kids Today
I just went for a nice long jog (go me), and thought more about the subject in my previous post. Here's a good analogy.
America, relative to the age of other countries, is a teenager. Like many teenagers it is petulant, smug, arrogant, convinced it knows better than its elders, and likes to lock itself in its room and listen to bad music loudly.
We, the parents, know that this teen has potential. We remember the lovely, exuberant child that it used to be - so full of hope and good cheer, occasionally throwing tantrums when things didn't go its way, but overall a joyous child that attracted the admiring smiles of other parents and their own children.
Some teenagers never emerge from their angst, and become lost to those who love them - turning their backs on their families, and living ugly, sordid lives. Some emerge from their adolescence having learned something, and mature enough to be embarrassed about their former bad behaviour.
I hope that America, as it becomes a young adult, is the latter type of teen. I hope it emerges from this nasty period with some hard-gained knowledge, and appreciation for the wisdom of others. We haven't given up hope, but right now we're dismayed by its behaviour, and honestly don't want to spend time with it. We're torn between wanting it to pack up and move out so we can have some peace, and wanting to give it a big hug and gentle smack upside the head and say, "Stop being so stupid. You know better."
.
America, relative to the age of other countries, is a teenager. Like many teenagers it is petulant, smug, arrogant, convinced it knows better than its elders, and likes to lock itself in its room and listen to bad music loudly.
We, the parents, know that this teen has potential. We remember the lovely, exuberant child that it used to be - so full of hope and good cheer, occasionally throwing tantrums when things didn't go its way, but overall a joyous child that attracted the admiring smiles of other parents and their own children.
Some teenagers never emerge from their angst, and become lost to those who love them - turning their backs on their families, and living ugly, sordid lives. Some emerge from their adolescence having learned something, and mature enough to be embarrassed about their former bad behaviour.
I hope that America, as it becomes a young adult, is the latter type of teen. I hope it emerges from this nasty period with some hard-gained knowledge, and appreciation for the wisdom of others. We haven't given up hope, but right now we're dismayed by its behaviour, and honestly don't want to spend time with it. We're torn between wanting it to pack up and move out so we can have some peace, and wanting to give it a big hug and gentle smack upside the head and say, "Stop being so stupid. You know better."
.