I have to say, I live a pretty good life on the whole, being such a young man. I don't have too much expected of me, in terms of commitments. As long as I don't burden anyone and look after my wife, I'm pretty much left to my own devices.
I was in Church this morning, and most of the congregation are older or at least middle aged. These are people with a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. Especially when you consider that some of them are farmers, with families to look after. I always feel the debt of respect that I owe to my elders.
I may not be able to contribute much, but I do so willingly, when I think about what the generations previous to my own have given to the community. Too many of my peers are quick to dismiss the ties to the past. It is inconvenient to spend time with those who aren't on the fast track, who aren't in the technological loop. It's a shame to see young people making mistakes that could so easily be averted just by taking advantage of the experience around them.
Years ago, that advantage was always at hand. Extended families were always close by, and children, while expected to be polite and quiet, were privy to the conversations of the adults. A lot was quietly learned while sitting in parlours. How much of that learning was ever taken to heart is up for debate. Now, people don't get out and socialize nearly as much, and children don't have the examples of maturity to live up to.
I have been marginally accepted into the world of the older gentlemen of the church. They are quite comfortable speaking to me about matters of importance, or the trivial things that come up in any societal group. It is very much a relief to me not to be so much of an outsider.
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It is true about the younger crowd and its too bad that they do not attend church. We used to have a minister years ago named Reverend Howald who did not like the young folks of his time doing sports when he thought they should be in church learning the Word of the Lord. He went to the local council and they made an agreement that no sporting activities were to begin until after noon on a Sunday. I agree with this policy 100 percent.
I know there is a fight for ice time, expecially for the weekends but i think that with the children doing sports this therefore forgoes their parents participation in their church community. The only time we see young ones at our church is for confirmation and then we don't see them on a Sunday morning. The same goes for a baptism. We never see that child again or most of the family.
Reverend Howald had an abundance of children at his church and at Sunday school. Now we have a total of 3 children so we only have Sunday school every other weekend. No wonder churches are closing right and left. After the older members of our congregation passes on what will become of my church ???
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