Thankful Thursday

Every generation worries about the generation after it. To get a good example of this; listen to Billy Joel’s version of We Didn’t Start the Fire released in 1989 verses Fall Out Boys version released in 2023. These 2 songs give us an excellent snap shot of what was happening in the world around us, 34 years apart. 

Reading Walden (first published in 1854) by Thoreau, I laughed out loud when Thoreau started talking about “brain-rot”. He cautions against what he termed “brain-rot”, as a decline in mental vitality caused by suppressing curiosity and embracing unreflective habits. I laughed because the same thing was said about t.v. The boob tune. Then computers. Now smartphones. Each generation worries about the generations after them. That THEY will finally cause OUR world to collapse. 

Something happened that gave me pause to think; maybe it will be okay. Maybe; because change scares us, we just need to breathe and not worry so much. 

The company I work for hired a summer intern. This young man is between 19 and 21. I didn’t ask him his age. But he’s a senior in college. On his last day, he gave me and 2 other ladies (that were involved in his training) a plant and a thank you card. I was blown away at how sweet this was. 

Before I left one college and transferred out, I was taking Business Management. Never in any of my classes was it encouraged to give a present to anyone when you left. Personally or professionally. All throughout my work life, it is common to give presents to the person leaving. I have never witnessed the reverse. 

Good parenting? Good character? Strong faith? I pray this young man is a snap shot of his generation. 

I’m thankful for the opportunity to have worked with him. The change in prospective he’s offered. God puts people in our lives for a reason.