IN PRAISE of TEENS

They just came out. Words of the year for 2024 include polarization, demure and brat. Wasn't brat the word of the year back in 1959?

Before I add my own choice, let me editorialize for a moment.

It seems to me that so many in my age group have written off our young people as being  rude, self- absorbed, and addicted to their devices. Socrates expressed similar concerns over 2,400 years ago when he wrote, " Children are now tyrants of the household. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers."

At the risk of calling Socrates foolish, let's just say that he would be surprised by my recent experience with the teen set. 

If anything, I feel that the young people of today exhibit my word of the year, micro-kindness.

Let me give you a few examples.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching my granddaughter, Isla, compete in a ringette tournament in Ajax for girls age 13 and 14. The calibre of play was extraordinary and the level of good sportsmanship between the teams was exemplary. Certainly, no dirty stick work or late hits like we see in NHL.  Maybe not exactly micro-kindness but certainly no micro-aggressions either. 

Over the past year, I have tutored a few high school students, maybe more an exercise for my brain than theirs. In any case, I have found these kids to be hard working, kind, and above all, optimistic. The world so needs that.

My experience with young people volunteering at Holland Bloorview has been the same. Again, young adults making a positive difference with their kindness for others.

Terry has noticed the same thing. Her young friend Alex, who has been helping her navigate her new phone, has been most helpful and respectful.

And then there's the young man who offered me a seat on the bus a few weeks back. Yikes! Please don't do that but very kind indeed.. 

Such small acts of compassion, this micro-kindness, fills me with hope for the future.

Our world may be in bad shape but it's certainly not because of our young people. If anything, I believe that unlike our generation of wrinklies, they will leave this planet in much better shape than we ever will.

Take that, Socrates!