GENERATIONS
Now that my shoulder is better I've returned to my regular Sunday golf outings. In addition to the camaraderie and fun and the mild exercise of golf, that means I get to see the local deer herd again. As in every year, I've enjoyed watching the deer frolic on the golf course. This year there has been an abundance of fawns, the descendants of the deer I've observed in prior years. It got me thinking about generations, the endless succession of old and young in all species. Watching young deer or the young of any species gives me the same thrill, fills me with the same sense of wonder. I love to watch them grow and learn.
I'm not as happy to see the young learn caution and fear but these too are a necessary part of growing up. For example, the presence of young deer at the golf course means that mountain lions will soon be prowling again. Thankfully, I've never seen a mountain lion but I've seen the evidence of their presence, of their kills. If the young deer didn't learn to watch out for the mountain lions, they wouldn't survive. If they didn't learn caution, there would be great depletion of the herd. It's the same with children. They initially have no fear, will try everything, endangering their lives and limbs. With a little guidance and experience, they soon learn what to avoid, what is safe, who is safe. Sometimes we go overboard in instilling caution and create nervous, fearful people in later life. I don't know how to strike the balance between prudence and fear but we have to keep trying. Some things are inborn, some things are taught. Maybe it's a matter of learning about our students before we try to teach.
I believe I learn a lot from watching the young. I try to look at things through their eyes, to think about what they see, to share their enjoyment of new things, to marvel at how fast they seem to mature and think about how they learn. For example, I find it exciting to watch young children develop their language skills and I still don't understand the learning process. I can see how they learn single words but the development of grammar still surprises me. And it all happens so fast!
As with all wonders, the gifts that nature gives us, there is corresponding responsibility. It's the responsibility of older people, and people in general, to help in the learning process where we can and to preserve the young lives where we can. It's fun to help children learn, it's fun to watch the fawns learn from their mothers and siblings, it's amazing how fast they learn. So let's enjoy watching the young, learn from them and try to teach them. It's the most important thing we can do.
7-8-02
Home Page 2002 Archives 2001 Archives 2000 Archives 1999 Archives