I'm always excited about the future!
One of my new favorite societal observational things is how people love to bash on the younger generations, they are too (this,that,entitled,ungrateful) etc... If there is anything I have ever learned about the evolution of the masses. It's that we improve. We get better. More information, more education, advanced technology, more access to more brilliant minds, more processing of better information, more awareness of right and wrong, better and worse, more examples of success and failure... more. And more leads me to better conclusions. My sampling rate is greater. I am able to extrapolate that information and draw more educated conclusions. On the scale, my odds are going up to create something more amazing, more useful, more successful. And the younger, therefore,have the potential to be even smarter! They can be more efficient, technology is on their side. Information is on their side. I used to carry a pad of paper around with all my "ideas, dreams, goals, aspirations" I had a lot of pads of paper, many lost and never seen again. Now I have "notes" in my phone, I can reference, review, use that information to my benefit. It's seems so minor but it's been a life changer. My parents are smart, leaders of their time, they are still smart and led overall successful lives. Their wisdom is cherished and valuable. But I am "smarter" than them now. People cringe at that idea. My parents even do (tongue and cheek). Why wouldn't I be. I show them how to use a cell phone, the internet, my dad the doctor, doesn't even use a cell phone. He's okay with the way things are and have been. There is nothing wrong this. But the future is for those who want to make change. Life after all is purely CHANGE. The future is changed by the collective brilliance of the minds who are participating in the great debate today. That debate is being had by those who are connected to it. I expect my kids to be far more brilliant than me. After all, they should be, they will have my collected, limited brilliance and they will be able to take that and move forward and evolve at a much higher rate. My brilliant,wise,inspirational General Grandfather once was worried about the youth of America. He has so many life experiences that date back 80 plus years and yet his stories are still pertinent to my life today. That is what real wisdom is! We had a conversation recently during his 93rd birthday and he wasn't as worried anymore. His message, once specific to headline items, has now become more simplified. He wants me to be engaged in my civic duty and to care about my community and my country. He wants me to care about what I do and how it will affect others. He wants me to seek spirituality as that was paramount in his life. As his light slowly fades, I could see the sparkle of hope, knowing his kin was actively engaged in this life and carrying on all the wisdom he could bestow and trying to make the world a better place for us all. He could tell I was intentional in my life choices and I made sure that he knew I had him to thank. And as amazing as his life has been, he set a bar (and that F#$@ING bar is high) for me to try and eclipse. He'd want me to eclipse it. I want the youth to eclipse us all - always. After all, the world is waiting for them. It is ours to inherit. We will make it better (smile emoticon)!