left to their own devices

 Perhaps the most difficult thing to accept is the knowledge that one day the next generation will be left to their own devices. Are they ready? Well that was our job wasn't it, to prepare them? Yes, it was and how do you measure success? Is it when the next generation blindly follows your teachings? No I believe we all want our children to be independent thinker's, as long as they think similar to us. No one wants to raise a radical! The challenge is in finding that happy medium. Most will operate on a sliding scale. That is to say, compliant when really young, then rebellious, and finally settling into life. That time we call adulthood stretches' from our early twenties until we retire, generally speaking. Then we are called seniors. Seniors, think about that, in our last year before graduating. Graduating from what? Life  has to be the answer. And after we graduate the kids are left to their own devices. How much of a warm fuzzy feeling does that give you? 

 I'm thinking about this in the big picture, not just our own children which we prepared, they're great. Sure they have their moments when you question that, but, you are equally as certain they'll be fine. But what about all the others? It's true this is always the case with every generation. My parents thought the same thing, their parents thought the same thing, and their parents before them. It is nothing new. Still we get this unsettled feeling, moments of doubt. As society evolves that is the result. The very reason we long for the good old days. The old days are settled! You can't change history except in your memories. That's fine as long as you don't attempt to teach memories as facts! 

 To be honest I have to say I'm not one that made much of a difference. No crusader, no activist, or political force I have just lived life as best as I know how. I believe that is my role. I'm fine with that. Over the last nine plus years I have taken to writing down my thoughts, observations, and feelings about all manner of things. Perhaps those writings have aided someone in some way, I doubt they have changed a thing. Again I'm fine with that. Sometimes I amuse myself by thinking a distant descendant of mine will discover them and be interested. They will read first hand accounts of history. True those accounts will be biased, they have to be. Bias is nothing more than a point of view. Do you know what it means to cut fabric on the bias? If you do, you know that the reason is a simple one. It keeps the material from fraying and makes it supple. Go against the bias and you have problems.Same as in real life. Go against the bias and you will have problems. My bias is a part of me. I don't have a problem with that either. Bias is a necessary attribute. It can be in favor of or against something. It is usually associated with prejudice and considered a bad thing. That is what those with a different bias think anyway. That's how it works. As an engineer I can tell you it is necessary to interject some bias in order to have a system operate over a predetermined range. Operating outside that range is a bad thing, usually catastrophic.  

 So what is troubling about all of this? One day that bias will be removed. I am that bias. Then the next generation will be left to their own devices. You could say it is a matter of trust. I trust my descendants, yours I'm not so sure about. Well to be completely honest sometimes I have my doubts about mine too. It's like leaving the kids home alone. Yeah, they'll be fine. Then again, do you want to leave them to their own devices? Depends upon how much you want to do whatever it is you want to do doesn't it? The problem now however is, I don't get a choice. They will be left alone whether I like it or not. 

 It is fitting that the last paragraph of the Constitution states, in part, " We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in general congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions "  Rectitude means equality, that their intentions are in the best interest of the whole. I probably would have just said, God help us. That sums up the way I feel about what is happening in the country. In the end, in the last paragraph or our story, that is the best we can hope for.