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This month's First Thoughts was tough for me. The theme is 'family' and by any measure, I am unqualified to speak on the topic. (It would be kind of like someone having no education experience suddenly being named Secretary of Education for the entire US...) I don't have kids of my own and don't really study much about the topic. As I perused book titles for the month, I realized I must not be alone. There are tons of parenting books, sure, but not many about how to function with your family from the 'kid' perspective. Nor is there much about how parents and children can continue to grow and develop as the children move into adulthood. Nor is there much about the (often unspoken) responsibilities or expectations that often create tension later in life. (Just curious, but have you had the chat with your parents or children about what life will look like upon retirement?)
And this doesn't even consider what happens when there's any kind of abnormality or dysfunction present. Nor how to navigate political differences. Nor how to discuss any number of uncomfortable scenarios that you previously never even considered.
But ultimately, family is your reference point. It's the basis for how you form your decisions. Sometimes, your reasoning and logic will stop your in your tracks, one hand over your mouth. You won't know how, but your father or mother suddenly invaded your body and said the very thing you swore you'd never say. Other times, you don't have a definitive understanding of why you believe something (at first, at least), you just know that it's in direct defiance of the way you were raised. Like when you become a Denver Broncos fan, raised in a household of Chiefs. Family is a lighthouse, letting you know where you are and where you're headed. Family is what you have when everyone else has left. Family is forever.
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Around the Web
Tim Urban
Contrary to what you might think, this really has nothing to do with procreation. It does, however, provide a really interesting way to think about and relate to others, particularly those born in other decades. Fair warning, this is a long read. But a really, really good read.
Key Quotes
"To really have the complete truth, you’d need background—the cultural nuances and national psyches of the time, the way each of the key players was raised during childhood and the subtle social dynamics between those players, the impact of what was going on in other parts of the world, and an equally-thorough understanding of the many past centuries that all of these things grew out of.
That’s why not only can’t even the most perfect history buff fully understand history, but the key people involved at the time can’t ever know the full story. History is a giant collective tangle of thousands of interwoven stories involving millions of characters, countless chapters, and many, many narrators."
Robert Waldinger
Since 1938, researchers have followed the same 724 men. They want to know what their lives are like, what decisions they make, and how happy they are. What are the secrets to a long, happy life? Spoiler alert: the key to a great life is hidden inside of your relationships with others. This 13-minute TED talk unpacks three lessons learned.
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Just for fun:
Speaking of different generations, did you know you can sponsor a Millennial? Get involved today to help them live the lives they (we?) portray on Instagram.
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