Walking into Walls in the Land of Vice Versa

Stop the Presses!

The kids are still watching.

Have you watched, lately?

What the kids are watching?

We had better get a move on it, and fast.

Before we know it, the kids are grown. And the chances to right the wrongs, just like the statute of limitations, are left in the dust, the dust bowl, with the dust mites.

Lessons left untaught are lessons never learned.

And.

That is not fair.

To the kids.

They deserve better that a bug virus leading their way. Leading and leasing their futures. What with all the virus-borne stipulations, shots and the lots.

What is good for the goose is not always good for the gander. It cannot be. Because, mostly, everyone comes from somewhere. Whether you like it or not. And what works for me does not necessarily work for you.

No truer words have even been spoken. Or should I say stated. Or should I say sworn on oath over. Or should I say “cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye”.

To prove to you, that you are not the boss of me. I am the boss of me. Now. Let me be. In a 24 hour period I went from munchkin monster to bad a**adult decision making guru. I don’t need you to tell me what to do anymore.

It has been said, that girls “mature” faster that boys. The range, the age range is wide—16-21—wherein a person is defined as capable of making decisions.(wk). Oftentimes, the blessed event of coming of age involves a swanky shin dig of epic proportions.

To name a few:

There is the Jugendwheile of East Germany.

The Guan Li/Ji Li of China.

The Coming of Age Day of Japan.

The Bar Mitzvah of Judaism.

The Quinceanera of Latin America.

The Anglican Confirmation of Helsinki.

The Puberty Ceremony of Sri Lankan.(wk)

These rites of passage to adulthood have religious connotations, cultural specifications, as well as terms including adolescence, age of consent, age of majority, defense of infancy, rite of passage, sweet sixteen, self-discovery and many more coming of age terms to envelope a child’s life from middle school aged to “adulthood”.

I think we can all readily admit we know one or two adults stuck somewhere in some of these life passages.

I digress.

Coming of age is a young person’s transition from being a child to being an adult. (wk). For girls and boys this involves physical bodily changes that make merely getting up in the morning do-able, what with the moans and groans of their hormones. To others, modern legal conventions bestow upon the young person the status of early adulthood, wherein adolescents are generally no longer considered minors and are granted fulls rights and responsibilities of an adult.

Wait. What?

All this and a party as well? Well. Goodness Gracious. Sounds fun. Doesn’t it?

The problem is, or can be, when the party is over.

The party is over.

And then life becomes a daily task oriented cacophony of trials and tribulations. Some phoney and some phon-ey-er. Than others. The race to the local service provider store resulting in long lines of hope and change of never ending connections.

Left behind the adolescents, on the sidewalk, while racing through the storm to the store, are un learned lessons, experiences and accountabilities. Left behind on the sidewalk is, or can be the innocence of their youth. And the real, bonafide adults are nowhere to be seen. I think they may be in hiding because they forgot.

To impart some important lessons of wisdom, judgment and justice.

Oops.

Instead, the cacophony turns into a euphony. Loud and boisterous. But just noise. Empty noise. Empty lessons. And the kids heads are buried. In their phones.Heading straight into a wall they do not even notice is right in front of their eyes. Because they have been conditioned to look down. At the phones, in their hand. To see a world that is beautifully right in front of them—if they would simply look—Up.

In the cacophony and euphony of their phones. No wonder the moment may be ripe, or destined for a now-new-coming-of-aged-adult (like an aged fine wine) to walk head first into the wall. What usually survives? The phone in the hand.

Is it worth two in the bush? No. No. No. Wait. Confusion sets in. The head aches. And as the head continues to ache, one wonders about the bang on the head on the wall experience. Is it a bird in the hand worth two in the bush? A benefit available now is more valuable than some possibly larger future benefit.

How do you know that?

The virus told me so……..Who is the boss of who now?

Yikes.

Something of value that is already acquired. Leaves many in the lurch.

Maybe we should just throw a party and forget about it. Forget about reality. And as the heads roll and swirl with the tumult, commotion and motion.

Rather than the stillness, quiet and hush hush 🤫.

Vice. Versa.

Or.

Versa. Vice.

The never ending pendulum. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. No.Yes. No. Ouch. My head hurts.

Speculation. Accusation. Distraction. Devastation.. Themes typical of a dystopian cacophony of complete control, censoring, free thought, denial, loss of individuality. Heavy handed force of conformity so all can walk headfirst in to the wall together. Left in the dust, with the mites. Together?…

Can I please just go to the party instead? I am of age……Society told me so. Was I cool enough to be invited? Pessimism rules the day. I just wanna go to the party. Consumption assumption of the highest order. No work. All play. Capitalize on capitalism and then hit the nightly party.

Sounds like the good life huh?

Except social bribes and black mail boil under the surface, with the potential to control, even bribe the senses into not being trusted. Add to this a dash of family, religion, class contrast and we have quite a situation. In our little town o’ fun. Wasn’t coming of age really duti-bound by someone-ANYONE—interested in preserving the innocence of a person?

The best interest?

Preservation of their body, their personhood so they could grow into their own bodies feeling strong and sure to make confident and good decisions. Watch and learn and learn and watch. It’s a good plan of action. Wait and See. Hope and Pray. And maybe one day instead of walking headfirst into another wall. A child decides on their own. To take action.

Chin up and charge the mound.💪🏻🫵🏻