The Lost Generation

Props to a certain Chicagoan for sending me the video on which this post is based...

I find it interesting and scary growing up today. Interesting because I'm learning new things every day about myself and the world around me. Interesting because as a young woman, I'm feeling more and more comfortable in my own skin. I truly believe this is because of the good people I am so grateful to have in my life and the fact that, well, I'm slowly ceasing to care about what other people think (to an extent because my recent personality profile shows that I'll always care at least a little bit, but I'm managing). But with all this learning happening, sometimes the scary stuff makes its way into your learning process.

Example: I'm learning that there are no guarantees. I could lose my job tomorrow. I could end up bankrupt. I could end up "happily" married, and within 5 years, be slapped with a divorce. Bills are constantly arriving in my mailbox, which can be overwhelming. Not impossible, just overwhelming. I'm learning that finances worry me, but I'm also learning how to overcome that worry. I'm learning that love is unpredictable and also overwhelming (no wonder people stress out, we're all overwhelmed all the time). I'm learning that I'm scared of things I never thought I'd ever be scared of. So the question for this post is this: WHY?

Is it really because I can't pay my bills? No. Is it because I'm fed up with relationships and dating and want to call it quits on finding my soulmate? No. Could it be that we are the generation that is being TOLD what will happen to us? Could it be that our generation is so overwhelmed with what older generations are telling us, that we're scared to move an inch outside our comfort zone to change our own futures?

Here's the moral of this story: I'm going to make an effort to stop listening. I understand that older generations are supposed to be wiser, but is it really wise to tell the generations coming up behind you what they can't, won't, and will never be able to do? Shouldn't we feel encouraged that we are capable of living the lives we want? I'd like to think I'm on the verge of greatness, but it may not be the same greatness that other generations experienced before us.

I have hope that our generation will keep fighting for what we want. We'll keep fighting for what we think is right. The key will be to support each other in the process.

{M}