Navigating relationships with different generations is kaleidoscopic. It teaches us to admire life through its ever-changing patterns. I belong to the generation of the sixties, which is forever on the cusp of changing technology.Then came the kids belonging to the millennial generation, thriving in the newly unveiled liberal era, handling cellphones like a pro and teaching us to become computer savvy in order to connect with them.
The Generation Z—the post-millennials—are here now while I am well into my 60s. We often think that these young minds don’t know how to relate to the world without smartphones. But they can sure teach us on how to make a difference in our society. One incident in my life altered my perception.
“Ma’am!” A pair of bright eyes was lurking in the corridor,waiting for me to pass.
I recalled having taught her. She had lost her mother some years back, while her final exams were on. I remember having consoled her when she returned after the period of mourning. I could identify with her loss as I too had no mother to turn to when I was her age. Bravely the father-daughter duo were pulling along. Once in a while she would fill me in with details as to how after coming back from his workplace, her father was improving his culinary skills while she was topping her school activities, making him proud.
“Ma’am, I have been trying to tell you for a long while. I got my father married last month.” Her shining face said it all. “Ma’am, I will complete school this year and leave home for professional studies. Now my father will not be alone.” I hugged her. My throat choked, I couldn’t muster courage to say anything. On hindsight, I wish I should have congratulated her but sometimes, overwhelmed with emotions, the tongue fails to convey the right words.
Everyone has obstacles to overcome in life. These hurdles smoothen the rough edges as one goes through transitions. Sometimes one doesn’t have answers to the big challenges life throws up and one still plods on. The weak-willed give up after some time while the bravehearts remain forever buoyant. This bright representative convinced me that the feisty Generation Z will indeed photoshop the warts and erase it completely from our social fabric.