It's interesting how
people who are unfamiliar with young adults misinterpret their conversation.
And easily assume self-involvement. I think we can be self-involved as older
adolescents and young adults, but this can easily be misunderstood or even
resented , when In fact the young person comes upon YOU, sees your maturity and
contemplative wisdom or directness, and jumps at the chance to lay out before
you their hopes, their fears.
Really, the misinterpretation I see people my age having so often is being unaware of the extent of their own resourcefulness a younger one has caught sight of, is seeking , and eager to reveal their struggles, worries and delights.
Make no mistake , this is rarely a reciprocal conversation. They are young, and filled to the brim with excitement or uncertainty. Most certainly with a sense of urgency.
We older adults can too easily dismiss the loveliness of this opportunity to support this younger one , simply because they tend to lay at our feet their hopes and dreams , and then , comforted or relieved, take off to their next deal.
They will typically not ask you about your own experience, at their age, or now. Unless they are an unfortunately other-oriented young female, which, in my humble regard, does not bode well for them.
So I urge you. With your wisdom and your ripened delicious ways, put aside judgement or resentment at the lack of reciprocity.
It's ok. It's developmental.
We tend to resent this even more when, at that age, we either didn't dare be so self centered ourselves, didn't have the courage or confidence to just lay out our own dreams to someone, and did not have a resplendent welcoming ,by an adult, ourselves.
Go ahead and look at that, feel the regret or disappointment, and then let it go.
Be ready to give this time and attention to some young one who catches sight of what it is you have to offer, stops by for a moment, and then without a thought about you, flutters on by.
Steep yourself in what you retain, that this young one saw well enough to want an audience with.
Relish that wise delicious stuff you are, that was illuminated for you for a moment by the young one.
Try to catch sight, yourself, of what you have to offer others as they sweep by on their paths.
Then go find someone of like mind or like age or like contemplative spirit, and drink in that rich reciprocity.
Really, the misinterpretation I see people my age having so often is being unaware of the extent of their own resourcefulness a younger one has caught sight of, is seeking , and eager to reveal their struggles, worries and delights.
Make no mistake , this is rarely a reciprocal conversation. They are young, and filled to the brim with excitement or uncertainty. Most certainly with a sense of urgency.
We older adults can too easily dismiss the loveliness of this opportunity to support this younger one , simply because they tend to lay at our feet their hopes and dreams , and then , comforted or relieved, take off to their next deal.
They will typically not ask you about your own experience, at their age, or now. Unless they are an unfortunately other-oriented young female, which, in my humble regard, does not bode well for them.
So I urge you. With your wisdom and your ripened delicious ways, put aside judgement or resentment at the lack of reciprocity.
It's ok. It's developmental.
We tend to resent this even more when, at that age, we either didn't dare be so self centered ourselves, didn't have the courage or confidence to just lay out our own dreams to someone, and did not have a resplendent welcoming ,by an adult, ourselves.
Go ahead and look at that, feel the regret or disappointment, and then let it go.
Be ready to give this time and attention to some young one who catches sight of what it is you have to offer, stops by for a moment, and then without a thought about you, flutters on by.
Steep yourself in what you retain, that this young one saw well enough to want an audience with.
Relish that wise delicious stuff you are, that was illuminated for you for a moment by the young one.
Try to catch sight, yourself, of what you have to offer others as they sweep by on their paths.
Then go find someone of like mind or like age or like contemplative spirit, and drink in that rich reciprocity.
No comments:
Post a Comment