Tag Archives: adolescent

The Road to Diamond, Day 22: Fortunate Language

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, distraction issues, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 20, 2024- Today was the day of least light, in the Northern Hemisphere. Solstice, now recognized in its global sense, was also the day of most light, south of the Equator. Either way, Solstice is a day of reflection. Each of us, in this day and age, is accountable for our own behaviour- and no one else’s.

When I was an adolescent and young adult, my behaviour and its accompanying language were intemperate. There is much for which I have had to atone, though fortunately nothing that merits civil or criminal justice. I never hurt anyone physically, or impaired anyone’s good name. Still, once committing on my present spiritual path, I let go of several habits and the accompanying tendency to use profane language.

Many people, even some in my Faith community, regard profanity as part of free speech. That is true, a person may speak in a manner that expresses her/his mood, sensibility and belief-even that which is momentary. My own take, though, is that a person can find words that express emotions, from joy to exasperation to sorrow, that are accurate, and are intelligent. Profanity is just plain unfortunate. It only adds a layer of insult to the exchange-and the insult is actually a two-way street.

I was once prone to admonish people about excessive use of profanity. Now, though, it is just white noise and does not convince me that the speaker is in any way right. Speaking only for myself, I would rather get my listeners to understand the cogency of my words. There is no cogency in cussing- unless the purpose is to convey anger or exasperation. Even then, are there not other words, which can make the point as well, or better?

Solstice is a day of reflection.

The Road to 65, Mile 68: Healing A Hole

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Posted by on in Social

February 4, 2015, Prescott-  I spent several hours with restless twelve and thirteen-year-olds, during the course of this morning.  Some of that time was spent guiding them through the worksheets which are the bane of an adolescent student’s existence. Another segment was spent addressing the illogical consequence of unimaginative lesson planning:  The paper wad, shot by a rubber band. I was able to get the artillery brigades to stop, by pointing out that a hard-shot paper wad, in a classmate’s eye, has severe illogical consequences of its own.  The regular teacher will have to change out the whole worksheet aspect.  I had to learn that hard fact, in my own teaching, such as it was.

I visited a friend this evening, intending to only take an hour of her time, as she is even more insanely busy than I am.  The visit extended to a light supper, two cups of coffee, and a fuller emptying of her languid  cup, than I have been privy to in some time.  Most of the details are irrelevant to a public post.  One topic, however, to which I keep returning, out of my own personal ache on the matter, was a fair concern tonight.

Children who are discounted, or marginalized, by one or both parents- or worse, yet, not even acknowledged by one of their parents, are receiving one of the cruelest, most unusual punishments known to humanity.  My friend has devoted everything to each of her children, as the best among us are wont to do, and consistently. I ache for  a child who is discounted or unacknowledged by either parent.  There is only so much I, a relative acquaintance, can do for such a child, but that little gets done, in making clear her value as a human being.  She will survive and thrive, because her mother takes her seriously.  The shame of an absent parent, however, lasts a lifetime.

I’m proud of my son, and see that he is made well aware of it, consistently.  My friend does likewise, and a very special, multifaceted young woman is arising.  The hole in her heart will heal, because she will not have to feel left out, or on the outskirts, of any occasion in which her devoted parent takes part.  Once again, a child needs both parents.