Life is a Gift but it Cannot be Neatly Packaged

I am the last of the Baby Boomers.  Honestly, I’ve never considered myself one but, based on when I was born, that’s who I am.  (I missed being a Gen Xer by a few weeks.)  I have four kids of my own and they are Millennials.  I love my kids but I have noticed things with that generation that makes me wonder about their future.  Please know I realize there are exceptions to everything I’m about to say.

First, they grew up getting rewarded just for showing up.  I never liked the thought of giving participation trophies unless there were also awards for most improved or MVP.  If we aren’t challenged to be better than the one next to us, we never will.  I’m not saying we should be competitive in all we do but it has been said iron sharpens iron.  We are strengthened by those around us.  I believe we are ultimately weakened by lack of challenge in life. 

Second, too many kids have parents who do everything for them.  This dovetails into what I noted above.  When someone continually runs interference for you, how do you learn coping skills?  When parents continually limit real world exposure to their kids, they grow up not knowing what life really is.  By saying real world exposure, I mean easy things like allowing kids to climb trees, use tools or simply wrecking their bike.  Life is out there.  Parents do no help for their kids if they always protect them from it.  They should caringly, lovingly allow children to explore their world and even to learn they can be hurt while they are in it.  Children must learn coping skills and that is only done when life challenges them to do so.

Third, Millennials are the generation that has been repeatedly told they can do whatever they want in life.  Many of them want to make a difference.  This is great.  I hope and pray they make every difference in this world for the good and benefit of all mankind.  I also hope they don’t get discouraged whenever they feel like they aren’t making an impact.  They are used to instant gratification.  Making a difference doesn’t always come easily or quickly. You have to keep plugging away.  You fail when you stop.  This leads me to my last point.

There are no guarantees in life.  Just because you pour your heart and soul into something doesn’t mean you will be successful.  We are currently in the NFL playoffs.  There are 8 teams left and 24 of them are already disappointed.  More teams will be disappointed soon.  On the road of human existence, there are floods, earthquakes, forest fires, hurricanes, divorce, cancer, abandonment, death etc. 

We want to believe we are different and the laws of nature don’t apply to us.  Tell that to the countless numbers of people through human existence lost to wars, disease and accidents.  Each of them had the potential to leave an awesome mark on this blue planet.  For whatever reason, they never got the chance.  Too many people with wonderful dreams couldn’t pursue them because they first had to survive slavery, the Great Depression, genocide or Aleppo. 

Yes, you can do anything you want in this world.  You have amazing potential.  We must remember life is a gift but it cannot be neatly packaged.