I once knew an old Kentucky "good ol' boy" who was fond of saying, "The things you see when you ain't got a gun." If he saw something outrageous like a poorly dressed person, or perhaps something truly ugly, it could be funny. But the things you see can be a lot more than that.
It's often said that the things you see as a young person set the tone for much of your later life. These are usually things that initially came as either a surprise or shock or perhaps an affirmation of something you wondered about as a child. Are there evil people in the world? Does the society I live in treat all people equally? Does money talk? Does anybody really win a war?
We know that people who grew up during the Great Depression forever retain that "Depression mentality. They waste nothing. They constantly worry about the vagaries and vicissitudes of the economy. Having enough food, a decent place to live, and the ability to overcome unpredictable weather are lifelong concerns.
In my formative years, I saw the Civil Rights movement and a very unpopular war in Vietnam. It's no wonder much of my life has centered around social justice and working with those less fortunate. I counted myself in that group as well because of early experiences where I was considered "the other." Religion had always been a mystery to me because I was raised in a home that had a vague concept of God, but nothing to do with organized religion. I knew I has a Jewish background because my parent told me, and they often spoke a word or phrase in Yiddish when they didn't want my sister or me to know what they were talking about. But in school, it was rough. I didn't go t church or synagogue like most of my friends and neighbors, so I always felt on the outside. To this day, I think my sister longed to wear a pretty pastel dress on Easter Sunday and go to church with her friends.
So, what have other generations seen, and how will that impact their futures? The effects of the COVID pandemic, the mob attack on the nation's capital, and the numerous police brutality cases in recent years will no doubt affect a generation. One can only hope that these young people will use these experiences and events to springboard their careers in medicine, social work, law enforcement, and the politics of civility. That is something to be optimistic about.
Next time you find yourself in a discussion about current affairs or life choices with people, see what happens when you raise the question about what kinds of things did you see at a young age that left a significant impression on you?
This just might be a good way to find common ground with people you think yu might have nothing in common with.
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