I have little hope for to-day's youth

I have little hope for many of them and great expectations from most that I see in my community.

I was just talking about that very fact yesterday when my older brother called from across town to tell me about his boy's friend who died. I had already read it in the paper. It was a terrible tragedy. http://www.explorehoward.com/obituaries/10806/max-cowan-16-headed-bnai-b...

The turnout at the funeral was ENORMOUS. His friends came from all over, even quite a few from out of state. There was not even enough room in the synagogue with over 500 in attendance. At the home, where the family is sitting shiva (that's the Jewish custom of mourning along with the family who is never left alone but fed and supported for 7 days) the friends are taking turns because not all of them can fit in the house! Some of them from out of town are sleeping in his room each night, even using his bed. They sat on his grave in silence contemplating the loss of this wonderful friend. It's a massive group support happening, solidarity among young men and women like you can hardly imagine. These are bright caring productive youth, hundreds and hundreds of them just in this one gathering. My nephews just left camp for the summer where they have become junior counselors this year and they've been going there for summers since they were tots. They will miss their close friends, many many of them with whom they've shared their summers every year, as not all will be returning, this is their last year unless they are among the ones that also went on to the camp counselor level.

To say all children are a loss is so far off the mark. Surely there are the troublemakers and they get all the attention in the press. Bad news always travels 10x faster than good news. Dog bites man does not make the press, it's too ordinary. It's when man bites dog that everyone takes notice.

Don't be so fast to write off this generation. Look around and you'll see the good ones, a great number of them. They're just not out on the streets where you see them. They're in their bed rooms studying, on the sports fields in teams getting exercise instead of becoming obese, going to college where you don't see them unless you live near a campus, taking trips abroad to sister cities around the world, competing in science fairs (do you go to them?) and spelling bees and volunteering around the community (do you volunteer and see them at work?) They're in scouts making eagle like one of my nephews just recently did! They're at the library researching/learning - when was the last time you visited your local library? And they are going out on dates but not to places that serve alcohol so do you see them when you go out drinking? Of course you don't.

It's easy to bash. It's harder to compliment. Look around you. Support your school's athletics programs and drama productions (some of the best plays I've ever seen were at my high school both while there as as student and many times since).

You will see what you want to see. Open your eyes. Know where to look. Help those who are helping themselves. These children have EXCELLENT parents and they also need mentors. Not every one of the parents of these children knows enough in a particular field that their child is pursuing - outpacing them in. They always need more good role models. You can sit back and complain or you can be a part of the solution. Doing nothing is to be part of the problem and complaining alone does not count as doing something.
Ask any of these kids and they will tell you it is the adults who are making such a mess of things. The kids aren't in the White House or in Congress or leading big business. To blame them is absurd. Give them a chance. Help them to undo all the damage that's been done. You've never known so many who are working already to save our planet. With our help they can do it too. Of that I am certain. Write them all off though and you will get what you expect. It's OUR choice.

Don't worry - the world is supposed to end in 2012 right??