April. 26, 2006
My recent adventure as a chaperone for a high school trip reminded me again about the difficulties in life that many of us had to overcome during the road from then til now. I was reminded that as we grow, we take a these life lessons and become a little wiser… but without them, we are just lost. No one can tell us how things are going to be. No one can describe to us the joy and pain that lies ahead. All these kids have are the words of their peers, a little adult supervision, and a whole lot of television to look up to…
Observation #1
There is class division within a class…
Regardless if you have a group of nerds, there are still the cool ones and the not-so-cool ones. (What a bad observation to make…) When a class trip is comprised of computer science and business students, you don’t exactly get the kids who rank the highest on the social scale. Yet you look at the crowd and you can distinctly see a difference between the ones who people see to flock towards and ones who eat lunch alone. Kids can be so cruel.
Observation #2
Boys and girls are still boys and girls…
Young boys will always shun authority from another male. As an outsider, trying to get these boys to listen to a few directions is like pulling teeth. I’m sure I was much the same. The girls on the other hand, seem to have a shyness when I speak to them. Are they mute, or do I just look funny…
Observation #3
A fish in the sea can create his own pond…
Among a sea of underachievers, there will always be that one who will be destined for great things. I couldn’t wait to get off the bus for a well deserved retreat from all the noise that was created by a few kids. Just when I thought that our youth was doomed, this one kid showed the focus, integrity and eagerness that I thought had all but disappeared in this day and age. As longs as one in a hundred can lead us the way, I can get back to my many endless rambling, and maybe one day, I can get back to my youth and laugh the way these kids do…