all is not right with the world

I just got off the phone with Lydia. It sounds as if her father's death is finally affecting her. I could tell she didn't want to talk to me about it, perhaps because there was not much I could to comfort her, especially with my perfect little family life. But I'm glad I got a good laugh or two out of her.

However, it seems as if all is not right with the world. Alex wants to join the navy/marines, Anh is having trouble finding a job despite his incredible intelligence, Chi Na can barely make $300 a month at the nail salon, Liza is considering the prospects of being a house wife, Gretel is caught between the spoke wheels of office politics, Chris quit his internship to pursue other ventures and of course there's me drawling along at home. Just when it seemed like the world couldn't be filled with more problems, the clouds blacken and "God" reminds silent.

I was telling Gretel about how as adults, we tend to instill hopeful messages in the songs and story books we give to children about following our dreams and having hope no matter how bad the situation may seem. She called them bullshit lies. I told her, it didn't matter whether not it was a lie. The point was to encourage perseverance in kids so that they endure the long road ahead. Philosophers preach about human beings have the right of reason and ego in order to make decisions for themselves and thus pursue their happiness. Will Smith proclaims the pursuit of happiness is a long journey through the treacherous but rewarding in the end. Dad says "In America, nothing is free".

I think we all fight because the alternative is boredom. And as Bowdoin kids, boredom does not exist. We were born fighters and trained master-minds. Perhaps it just takes a few hardships and bad experiences to sharpen our minds and skills.

Well, whatever it is, my childish hope prays that success lies at the end of the road for everyone. And that, that perseverance that grew inside our minds from its small infant bud of cartoons and comic book heroes, is strong enough to keep us burning for the rest of the way.