Greater than myself

As always, this is all just my personal opinion and should be taken as such. I respect that many disagree with me.

As a society, it seems like there is so much focus on a particular demographic (14 - 22 year olds) that I believe we forget that there is a lot that we don't know. And sometimes, it's not the 14 - 20 year olds who are on the cutting edge of this front. It's those who have paid their dues, who have spent lifetimes experiencing, living, studying. (As an aside, I'm not suggesting that older is always wiser).

There is so much that is unknown (period). And there are so many different types of unknowns.

Personally, I can certainly explain a great deal about Russian history during a particular period of time - but would stare at you blankly when asked about quantum physics or advanced calculus.

Things would be quite different if we knew all the answers. I certainly don't have them. I don't know why sh*t happens. I don't know why good stuff happens either. (If I did, I certainly wouldn't be sitting around blogging about it!)

Of course, lots of religions (and other things) have evolved to help explain the unexplainable.

I just find the concept of something greater than myself attractive. That thing could be nature, evolution, love, time, physics, a higher power and/or God (whatever you may call God).

Simply the idea that I don't have all the answers - and there is no way, in my human lifetime, I could ever find all the answers.

Not even that there is a design or reason for everything. But that at this given moment, I can't comprehend it all. Sometimes I may just need to talk with friends or loved ones. Sometimes I can find insight from reading what others have written in the past.

The important concept (for me) is, I'm human. I make mistakes. I have insights and faults. I allow others the same freedom and compassion.

Sometimes it just seems like our society or generation is so me/self focused - the idea that any of us could really "get it" at 16 is hard to fathom. There are things that can be understood, but there's a lot that cannot be easily understood as well.

Life is not simple.

The older I get, the more I realize how much I don't know. How life is not black and white (cannot be reduced to simple maxims or theories). I suppose I thought that I would have a better understanding as I got older, and I just don't seem to be any closer to explaining it all.

I'm not suggesting that anyone has been arguing that they know it all or that they have all the answers.

Just that it takes humility to admit I have limits (just like everyone).

If nothing else, I hope I can share that with my kids - the sense of compassion for others and a sense of awe that life can bring.