Thoughts regarding life, liberty, & the prusite of the happiness that is, (or is not), appended.
The young man in my home, my Great Nephew, (16 years old -- 17 in 8 weeks), is just like I was back then... eager to be the quintessential adult. His attitude is that he already knows all there is to know, about all there is to know about.
When I try to talk to him logically; to impart a bit of the wisdom of my hard earned 50 years of adult-hood, he is not open to any of it.
He wants to skip high school and go right into driving; motor cycle racing; glass blowing; rebuilding an automobile - living the "good life". Yet, he has had no training or experience.
All I can say to him is basically what my Dad and Grandpa said to me so many times. (I paraphrase it all down to this):
If you want to ride the the monster roller coaster, you must pay for the ticket!
So, I have to give in a bit and let him attend the "school of hard knocks" as I did. And trusting that he too, will survive.
Some of my friends did not survive - some did. Some still will not play by the rules. Others live day to day standing at the gate, envious, angry, and pathetic while they watch others ride. The very few that do ride have lots of tickets. And although I'm happy for them, I'm also somewhat jealous.
But I made my choices and I will not complain about them. The problem was that I did not prepare for the future. But I live, mostly contented, with the results! I'm not homeless and I don't go hungry. So what if I don't have a fancy, new car, or a big home on the lake, with jet skies and a power boat? I have my memories, my scars, and my sisters and their families. The rest is just the shinny paper wrapped around the chocolate that covers the creamy center. The paper is just garbage. It's the goodies inside that is important!
:o)
When I try to talk to him logically; to impart a bit of the wisdom of my hard earned 50 years of adult-hood, he is not open to any of it.
He wants to skip high school and go right into driving; motor cycle racing; glass blowing; rebuilding an automobile - living the "good life". Yet, he has had no training or experience.
All I can say to him is basically what my Dad and Grandpa said to me so many times. (I paraphrase it all down to this):
If you want to ride the the monster roller coaster, you must pay for the ticket!
So, I have to give in a bit and let him attend the "school of hard knocks" as I did. And trusting that he too, will survive.
Some of my friends did not survive - some did. Some still will not play by the rules. Others live day to day standing at the gate, envious, angry, and pathetic while they watch others ride. The very few that do ride have lots of tickets. And although I'm happy for them, I'm also somewhat jealous.
But I made my choices and I will not complain about them. The problem was that I did not prepare for the future. But I live, mostly contented, with the results! I'm not homeless and I don't go hungry. So what if I don't have a fancy, new car, or a big home on the lake, with jet skies and a power boat? I have my memories, my scars, and my sisters and their families. The rest is just the shinny paper wrapped around the chocolate that covers the creamy center. The paper is just garbage. It's the goodies inside that is important!
:o)