I just got a call from our older son, who is half way around the world doing research. It's night for him, and I was about to set off with the dogs for our morning constitutional. The bonus I get when I talk to him is it's as if I'm talking to my dad. I grew up in a household where heated arguments at the dinner table were de rigor. We liked arguing for the sake of argument, and our older son is never happier than when he's debating with someone. Yes, he was on the debate teams at school, and he still loves a good tussle. I'm at that stage of life where the picture gets bigger and wider - like a 3D film and IMAX and the planetarium combined. AN infinite universe. But we argued for an hour, which is challenging and inventive since we both think pretty much identically about politics. We covered the health bill, regulations for banks, civil discourse and all the "shoulda, would have" scenarios. There is no "winning". It's fencing without judgment. We are refreshing our critical thinking minds, just to keep them sharp.
He's so particularly into ideas and action and change, and I am about passing the mantle onto his generation. I'm in a supportive role now. I'm not saying I never march or email my representatives, but I've got this feeling that it's their turn. And I don't have the requisite certainties. To me there is little black and white, just a lot of gray cloudy area. Unpredictable weather. I don't know what actions should be taken now, or what the results are likely to be, because I've been surprised enough times to know what I can't know. I'm interested in people's intentions, and not so worried about the results. From this life stage it looks like everything is cyclical, and before you know it the change you wish for appears, but then it looks like "progress" goes backwards for a while and you have to take a long hard overview to see changes in consciousness that really stick.
What I honor in him and our other kids and ones like them is the passion to make the world a better, more just and kindly place. I honor their intentions. That's enough for me.
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