…And the principal said to the teenage girl,

“young woman, know that I am a grandfather. I am not your enemy. Time and change and the limits of your knowledge are your enemies, In a way.

We are your friends, your mother and father and I love you. They actually do want you to be the “yourself” that you are becoming, that you already are. And, yourself is adapting to a changing world, as our world is falling behind. As it should.

But, your growth stretches not only you, it also stretches us. We ask only that you be gentle in your stretching of us.

We love who you are, but I for one am two generations ago for you. Your mother and father Have already stretched me. And I am somewhat less flexible now, as yet another generation stretches me farther.

You have a job to do, and whatever that job is, you must be allowed to do it your way.

While we may have a tendency to micro-manage you, which is certainly irritating to you, it is our love for you and for the truth that causes this.

We will try to let you do your job, your way.

When we meddle , please forgive us, and try to be our friend. Then, go out and shine your light!“

 So what was your New Year’s resolution?

Did you resolve to lose weight, or to be more patient, or to be kinder to your spouse? The one I liked best was one that few people would fail. She resolved one year not to throw phonograph records at whales.

I think I’m finally going to try to do what my college professor in world history tried to encourage me to do.

I had made a “D” on a quiz. So I went into his office and asked why. All my dates were correct, and all the names and places.

But he said “You failed to draw the implications out of history“.

I didn’t realize that this was a college course, not a high school course.

1066 was the battle of Hastings, when William of Normandy conquered the Anglo-Saxon army. But why give a hoot?

Now we know that because of that conquest, the English language was changed, the English legal system was changed, and it filtered right down to religion and food changing ( well, somewhat!).

The aristocracy became French rather than Anglo-Saxon.

Unfortunately it did not cause the British to drive on the right side of the road. Also, unlike the French, laissez-faire, the “Brits” are still OCD.

So now, what implications are we going to draw from 2020?

What have we learned?