I remember Mama with a bit of a twinkle in her eye when I was growing up as she listened to old folks who talked about “young folks today” and “when I was growing up.” She would tell us later that there was a saying she got from her grandmother that fit the occasion. The saying went like this: “My grandma tells me that kids are going to the dogs. Her grandma told her that kids were going to the dogs. Her grandma told her that kids were going to the dogs. So, this is what I’ve got to state, the dogs have had an awful wait.” Mama had a lot of faith in young people.
I’ve been hearing that same idea from some people of my generation these days, but like Mama, I’ve seen quite a few that belie their sayings. One came just this last week. On Monday, Al took a handmade wooden desk organizer with an accompanying note that I wrote to Beau who is graduating from high school this month. On Wednesday, we had a thank-you note in the mailbox that met all the criteria for a well-written note – named the gift, told how he would use it, appreciated Al’s craftsmanship, and was grateful for our care for him that I expressed in the note.
The next time one of my contemporaries mentions the downfall of “young people these days,” I will probably have a bit of a twinkle in my eye as I think about Beau. Not that Beau is perfect – he did opt for entering the University of Alabama this fall instead of following his sister to Ole Miss.