Meltdowns?

I continued to be amazed at how our society seems to be so out of touch with our youth and young adults. I just heard about the youth that set himself on fire and burned 80% of his body. I get a text from a good friend saying that their teen is having serious issues and has been hospitalized. I’m doing a march to end gang violence because one of my good friends lost her son to a youth that believed getting into a gang was more important that following common sense. This teen shot her son in the back three times. Now, this teen is in court facing a judge that will have him sentenced to many years in prison because of killing my friend’s son. Yes, my friend has dealt with this meltdown in an amazing way and has grace not hatred at the center of her life!

I confess that I was raised around a mom and dad who would have sworn that they never fought or ever had a disagreement. I do remember some loud discussions behind closed doors. Real communication has been replaced with high tech that sees few people actually talking to each other eye to eye. It is too easy to use social media, your cell phone, tablet, iPad or iPod to communicate instead of actually visiting that person and talking face to face. I admit that being productive and the pressure that comes with that has impacted our family, our culture and our business environment that has become unhealthy.

It has become a norm to hear about shootings almost every week in a context that doesn’t make any sense at all. People take out their disappointment and hatred in life with a gun as they go to a mall or school close by. I can’t imagine the heartache and life change that results from these random acts of violence. I live in a diverse community where revenge is the name of the game. It is no longer funny when you see little kids that have been taught by their adult family to not let anyone ever touch them or push them without them striking back. I become the fool for telling everyone to step back, count to ten and think through what they are doing before they get themselves in trouble.

I know that a good portion of the instability for our youth and young adults today is the lack of normalcy in their families. If you have never watched a mom and dad work through issues where they differ then the assumption is that might makes right. I get my way because I’m the boss and you have to follow me. I’m around too many kids and teens, which don’t have dads that are too quick to say that it doesn’t matter. The reality is that it does matter significantly. The only path back to wholeness is when others in the family or even friends outside the family choose to step up and become involved.

I just finished an excellent article in the latest Reader’s Digest that echoed the impact of a reporter who chose to step outside the boundaries of his profession and got involved with homeless youth. The story, which is inspiring, shows the difference one person can make in the life of a youth when you choose to be there on a consistent basis. This man becomes the hero of a young blind teen and another teen who is legless. I can imagine how these teens will now relate back to people around them that are in real need. Instead of being too busy or acting as if they are better then those in trouble they will take the time to share their story and be a help to someone who is on the edge of jumping off the cliff.

I know that meltdowns will become more common across the board regardless of age, racial or religious background. We have allowed outside pressure to put us into a box that is literally a time bomb waiting to go off. It is time that we slow down in life, reassess what is really important, spend more time with family and real friends and put down the PS4 controller, iPod, iPad, iPhone or whatever. We need to have eyes to see those around us that are fragile and ready to melt instead of texting while driving.  I would much rather hear about the story of the reporter that becomes a mentor and special friend then the teen that has killed another teen as a gang initiation right.