Is Youth Wasted On The Young?
I think I know what
George Bernard Shaw was attempting to say when talking about youth being wasted
on the young. Young people are in the best of health, their minds are
clear and sharp, they're dreams are only as far away as their imagination can
carry them. I wonder if wisdom were given to the young, and health were
given to the old, where would we be? Seventy year olds' would be bungee
cording, screaming "cowabunga", while the teenager looked on in
horrified disbelief. This is hyperbole, but you get my point. I would
hazard to say the Lord gave us these timely “age” traits for a reason. Let me
stereotype for a moment. The Millennials always seem to be more impetuous and
impulsive, more willing to take a leap of faith in major decision-making,
always assuming the outcome will be positive. Whereas the Baby Boomers or Gen X
crowd are a bit more staid in resolving issues. They think things through at a
slower pace, analyzing each situation. In a nutshell, the younger generations
are like microwaves, whereas the older generations are like slow cookers. Each
has favorable qualities, and each has negative ones. I don't know the exact reason for this age-old
conundrum, but I'm certain the Lord does. He has equipped
each stage of life with the necessities and knowledge required for that
place in time. So in youth we are supplied with what is necessary to grow and
learn and move and gather, whereas in old age we are supplied with experience
and knowledge giving us better judgment and, hopefully, wisdom. Young or old, it
is up to us to build on these Godly foundations and make them stronger. But, in
the end, how does one explain to a twenty year old how time catches up with you
all too quickly? In the twinkling of an
eye we are our parents, and the dreams of youth have slipped into memories of
yesterday. It is only in the living that we learn life’s’ difficult lessons
whether we want them or not. In youth, we are impatient. It's all about
instant gratification. In middle age, we learn to take deep breaths
allowing us time to contemplate. In youth, we have all the time in the
world. The days are an unending beach of sand. In old age, the days pass
quickly by like the ticking of a clock. If only we could manage to be
more sagacious in youth and more optimistic with age then perhaps my twenty one
year old niece will start a retirement fund, and I really will go
bungee cording. Yikes.
I am glad to be through
the age of indiscretion. Youth still holds some appeal when it comes to energy
and less aches and pains, but I am not disillusioned in the discoveries of
aging, for it brings a wiser more "grown-up" me, whom I like a whole
lot more than my youthful counterpart. I will still carry with me my
childlike faith, my amazement of all creation, a love of roller coaster rides
(see, I haven’t shed all of my youthful exuberance) and cotton-candy, but I
hope I have set aside my childish ways.
Matthew
10:16 “Behold,
I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents
and harmless as doves."
Isaiah
40:29-31
29
He gives power to the
weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30
Even the youths shall
faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31
But those who wait on
the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up
with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and
not faint.
No comments:
Post a Comment