Older Than Dirt

"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary." -Cecil Beaton

I complain too often about young people today. I frequently hear other people criticize and bemoan their lack of virtue and common sense. It has been so ever since the Stone Age. I'm sure cave men complained their children had it easy, what with the invention of the wheel and the discovery of flint stone. We don't understand our kids; their clothes, their language, their dreams. None of it makes sense to us, even though we remember being there not so long ago. We remember when our parents hated our music, gave us ridiculous rules, and attempted to impose their will upon us. We didn't listen, but everything turned out fine. If we take the time to remember, we will appreciate where our children are coming from and cheer them on in the direction they are going. Cotton candy colored hair, tattooed, pierced, mismatched socks, nerd flags flying high and proud, they are daring to be different. They connect with the world and with each other on an unprecedented level through modern technology and social media. They are comfortable in their bodies. They are confident, enthusiastic, and silly. We should continue to offer them guidance, but don't be afraid to let them lead us. Following the timeless words of Ron Wild, "Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child."