By: a.brain
Richer than me you will never be, For I had a mother that read to me.
I spent a weekend at a retreat recently and the cross section of ages was quite diverse. There I was sitting next to a 26 year old on my left and a 65 year old on my right. A section of the conference was led by a 78 year old doctor. And when I say doctor I mean DOCTOR!! Doctorate in medicine, psychology, and ministry – wrote a couple of books, featured muscician at national venues in Washington D.C. Started a school of psychology and now tours and speaks on various topics all at 78. An impressive, renessaisance man who has spent his life in the process of studying minds and working with people.
That poem at the top was quoted by him. He said his quest for knowledge started when his mother read to him, then he asked the question: “Will our future generations be able to use this poem?”
That got me thinking, which is dangerous, what would that poem look like for say a current college student?
Richer than me you will never be,
For I had a VCR that showed the world to me.
How about a high schooler:
Richer than me you will never be,
For I had an Xbox that educated me.
Middle School:
Bling - Blingier than me you dare not be,
For on my cell I downloaded the hippest MP3.
Me in college:
Richer than me you will never be,
For Public Enemy spoke to me. (until I discovered they hated white people)
Me prior to College:
Richer than me you will never be,
For I had a Father who didn’t play games, he’d pop you in the grill, Pimp-style.
I digress, but it got me thinking, what am I going to be like in several decades? Granted I make it that long still upright…what will I know then that I don’t know now? What will my health be like? How about my intellect? My spirituality? My family? How many in my generation are thinking about tomorrow?
I dismiss too quickly the thoughts and dreams of my forefathers. There we were sitting next to one another…and they were asking the same questions as me.
The one question they were asking themselves that I haven't pondered to an extensive degree is how will I be remembered? Who will remember me? Who will remember you? Consider your oldest living relative...will you remember them in 10 years? Talk to them (if you can)...ask them what it was like when they were kids. How they met their spouse, where they were when significant moments in history occurred, do they remember what your parents were like as kids, or you as a child.
We are so youth oriented it will be refreshing to get another, more seasoned viewpoint.
Your future is coming...but only with age. Enjoy.
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