Hope is an Open Door
“Always leave the door of hope wide open. Cast off skepticism, and be a radiant presence of depth, compassion, love, and kindness to others. Dare to be different! Dare to be yourself! Be who you really are; be who you know yourself to be in your moments of greatest clarity; don’t allow others to determine your identity for you. Don’t give away your power of self determination.”
Wayne Teasdale (The Mystic Heart)
This is part of the advice that Brother Wayne Teasdale, lay monk in the tradition of Christian Sannyasa, gives to young people. I can’t think of better advice for our times. Our young adults are reaping the consequences of our current global economic crisis to a much greater degree than we baby boomers. Times are tough for the two generations, X and Y, who have the bad luck of trying to find jobs and jump-start lives today. All of the unrest around the world is being driven by this fact—no jobs, or jobs that are not commensurate with one’s level of education. We never thought that would happen in America
I can’t fault them for being angry, discouraged and disheartened. However, after entertaining misfortune for a while, one is encouraged to get up and get on with the task at hand. When opportunities are not forthcoming, make something happen. Look at this difficulty as a challenge requiring strength, ingenuity, and hard work. Difficult times call for creative ideas and entrepreneurship. Don’t give up. When all else fails, volunteer. I have gotten more than one job by first being a hard-working volunteer. While times are hard, these young people are not the first to face such a difficult task. The ‘greatest generation’ also fought their way through hard times and created decades of prosperity.
Giving up hope and giving in to despair is a road to certain failure. We, who are able, should step up and help our young folks find their way. After all, it is our generation who created the mess. Pull together. That should be the mantra of our time.
In the spirit,
Jane
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