The Wisdom of Youth - Or The Folly of Old Age

I have been blessed on my travels through this world to meet people who have taught much that enabled me to re-evaluate time worn wisdom.

My personal experiences of working with the elderly over a two year period and observing and listening to their perspectives I came to believe more and more that a life without purpose and meaning is a life not worth living. For many older people once they have undertaken the roles life has presented them with, they are left with huge amounts of time to fill. To end ones retirement years as many do, by watching the television screen dish out superficial programmes in the name of entertainment, must numb the real heartbreak of feeling useless in a Universe that appears to treat them as someone to be fed and watered, where real communication is lacking and a loneliness and emptiness of purpose is their lot.

There was a time when the "senior" years was regarded as a time for the "wisdom of the elders" - perhaps in some cultures this remains true, but here in the U.K. this reflection does not ring true.

Yet the wisdom of living a life of purpose and meaning with knowledge that we are part of a universal consciousness and not simply a small human being of little importance was emphasised for me when I met a young ex Israeli Soldier who shared much of his perspectives of his life's experiences with me. Yet where will the future find him say in forty years into the future?

When young we do not give thought to how we will spend the time available to us perhaps we are physically challenged and can no longer do the things that inspired us as a youth. To take some time and reflect on this could be useful and prevent long years of misery. Sadly this was the lot of some of the residents I worked with as I attempted to bring new energy and inspiration into their lives, some responded but most had given up the ghost long before I arrived in their lives.

I must concede that age is not a factor in wisdom, only experience can teach wisdom, not books, not movies that at best can point a way and at worse be a total distraction from the very need to take up the challenge of first- hand experience. Listening to the wisdom of our hearts may be the first step. That in itself is a challenge in the clamour of the noise of polluting forces as it succeeds in pulling us as far away from our hearts and souls as it is possible to go.

As a progressive and evolving being,
man is where he is that he may learn
that he may grow;
and as he learns the spiritual lesson
which any circumstance contains for him,
it passes away and gives place
to other circumstances.

James Allen

Many Articles on Experienced Spirituality, Multidimensional Reality and Personal Growth can be found on http://www.multidimensionalreality.com/ including free E-Book upon Request

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In My Youth

In my youth, I thought how gratifying it would be to dance through life without a care or any accountability; doing whatever crossed my mind that day. Adulthood of a sort set in and after careful reflection, I came to the understanding that actions taken in my life without, responsibility and knowledge for the same would be relatively unproductive, hollow and probably painful.

Let's look at the decisions that need to be made in furthering continued education, and subsequently, the choice we make in selecting learning institutions. At such a tender age of 18 one usually needs some guidance. Do we seek the advice of one or many? Do we rely on counselors, parents, members of the church, friends, and along with that process, gain much- needed information and wisdom to assist in decision-making These actions could be the beginning of life-long habits of responsibility.

How do we choose friends? Do we select people who have the same moral turpitude that we have? Are they goal oriented along the same lines that we are? I am sure there are many who would consider these characteristics unnecessary, but mingling with like-minded people is especially useful in life. These attributes often serve as a support function ultimately giving encouragement. Actions such as this do not deny us friendships, with different people but, they do affect one's core principles.

Another area of one's life is trust, such a precious commodity. So precious, in fact, that one needs to look long and hard before we give it to another person. How do we decide? Who we should trust and who not to trust? I would say that knowledge and prudence should go into the equation; One should be careful not to bestow this relationship upon someone within a diminutive time, but only after serious consideration and after viewing that person's action and life style, ultimately deciding if they are they worthy of one's trust.

What about when we marry? The first encounter is usually physical attraction, but if that is all there is to the relationship, usually, it will not be satisfying or of a long duration. Building on principles of responsibility, knowledge, and trust will we find out if we have the same religious beliefs, do we have the same strategy for accomplishments, what is one's approach to financial consideration and ultimately, do we have the same short and long-term goals. All these questions and many more have to be answered to reach a sensible decision. This is an ongoing exercise, as we grow we need to maintain the same foundational pinning.

As for children, to whom do we entrust them? Because a person is a member of the family, the clergy, or the school system, this should not be a guarantee of automatic trust. We have to take responsibility by gaining knowledge that will allow us to make an informed decision. In doing so we are guarding children against inexcusable behavior and teachings.

In all the aforementioned situations, we have spoken of, responsibility, knowledge, trust; I ask myself why we do not apply these same principles, standards to elected officials? After all, they will be making decisions and enacting laws that affect citizens lifestyles. Presently, government control is extreme in its reach, far greater than it has ever been in the history of this great nation. Alarmingly the extensive grab is about to change the foundations of America. Your voice is of the utmost importance, perhaps more so than it has ever been. As Americans, we should cherish the right to vote and give serious examination of those to whom we give a precious vote... I might add, a vote; born of blood, sweat, and tears.

Jacquie Hurlbut is a writer who wishes to bring attention to the responsibility of citizenship that we all hold dear. American lives are too busy and; therefore, we inadvertently forget ones duties to this great Nation. Freedom has to be nurtured on a continuous basis. Please visit libertyandvirtue.com in order to read other articles.

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Children On The Way To Youth

It is only recently that much research has been done that is relevant to the latent role of social class in peer groups. For the working class in particular, youth sub-cultures provide chances to break the weak links in the socialization process in the family or the schools and, therefore, to create discontinuities in the transmission of culture to the next generation.

Within the constraints of time and money working-class boys strive during their brief adolescence to fulfill their longing to be the daring, tough and fun-loving men that they see as the ideal for males. Within the space, by convention still somewhat more restricted, available to them girls try to create a style that will win them their man and found a secure family of procreation.

Ironically, the attempt to create discontinuity often does little more than overemphasize characteristics of the culture of the older generation and, even if a small measure of discontinuity is achieved, this is a temporary situation that works to ease later movement of the younger generation into its inevitable position as the next parental generation.

By the stage of adolescence it may well be that the social class of aspiration rather than that of origin largely influences behavior. The adolescence group can be divided into three sub-groups: the 'middle class', the 'working class' and the 'rebels'. Each group had very different attitudes, learnt at home and at school, which governed their response to their environment and particularly the sort of life to which they aspired. Members of each category seemed to have a different style of leisure activity. Those with middle-class aspirations had a best friend who more often lived outside and expected to marry later than those in the other two categories. The 'rebels' had low occupational aspirations, related more closely to the local area, and were more approving than the other adolescents of fighting. Some young people, however, may not be deeply involved in any of these local sub-cultures and they are more likely to opt for official youth clubs or for some aspects of the commercially provided national teenage culture.

Middle-class youth sub-cultures seem more diffuse and individualistic and, hence, less centered in well-articulated groups. Many hobbies, particularly those attractive to middle-class youth, are of a type that can be practiced alone or with close friends rather than in peer groups. When middle-class youths do join groups they are more likely to become members of such approved groups as Scouts or Guides.

Just as much expected behavior may differ by social class, so may misbehavior, and the very different social situations of the social classes do seem to result in differing types of deviance. Stealing and pilfering are quite usual activities in a working-class area, though adolescents are fully aware that this behavior is seen to be wrong by those with authority. The deviant behavior of middle-class adolescents is more often associated with the two characteristic differences in their structural position, namely their greater wealth - for example drug taking; and their lengthier exposure to the educational system - for example 'dropping out'. Similar arguments can be used to explain the fact that most politically radical students have been middle-class. In all these cases, whether amongst the working or middle class, such deviance is seen by agents of respectability as part of the current crisis in authority and, since youth is seen in this respect as the source of possible social breakdown, repression is often felt necessary.

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Obama rallies his youth brigade in Philadelphia - Washington Post

PHILADELPHIA - With the debates over, ads flooding the airwaves and an election that's shaping up as a $4 billion contest finally coming to a close, Democrats are looking to something very basic for an edge: phone calls and door knocks.

So President Obama took his get out the vote message to Temple University as he made a closing argument for his party's agenda.

His speech was short and his message simple.

"I want everybody to get out there, knock on doors, make phone calls, volunteer, talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, go into the beauty shops, the barbershops your church," he said. "If you do that, I am confident, we aren't just going to win this election, but we are going to keep on moving this country forward."

The crowd of 1,000 - mostly young people chanting campaign slogans and wearing Obama T-shirts circa 2008 - are exactly the type of voters that Democrats will need to stave off a midterm rout. This weekend, Obama's schedule has stops in four urban areas.

Obama has visited this city, which is key to Democrats' chances of victory in statewide races, four times over the past six weeks, and first lady Michelle Obama will hold a rally here Monday.

And the Democratic National Committee has poured more than $50 million into the get-out-the-vote effort in a bid to get at least a share of the 15 million young and first-time voters from 2008.

Over recent weeks, Obama has drawn an audience of about 185,000 people with 10 rallies in different states, and party leaders said they see some momentum.

"If you look at the polling in Pennsylvania and California, after the president's visits there, Democrats either closed the gap or in some instances widened their lead," said Mitch Stewart, executive director of Organizing for America, the DNC's grass-roots branch. "These events are a real shot in the arm for our organization specifically, but also to the candidates that are running there."

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter who said that 2010 is about 2012, said that "we are going to drive turn out aggressively in this city."

"Every elected official is focused on this election," he said. "They are mobilizing all over Philly and the suburbs."

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett in remarks Thursday suggested that his aim is to keep turnout in Philadelphia down, comments that Nutter said have galvanized the base.

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