Adulting

Lately, it seems, I've heard many young adults lament that adulting is hard. Perhaps for the first time in my life, I actually think I might agree with them. Adulting is hard. Especially in these times.

Anne Lamott, always a good source of wit and wisdom in tumultuous times, recently wrote:

Life is much wilder, sweeter, violent, heartbreaking, weirder, richer, more insane, awful, beautiful and profound than we were prepared for as children, or that I am comfortable with as a grownup. In my Sunday School classes, after tragedy, we always spend extra time making art cards for children in the towns where tragedies took place, or for the people in the regular church whose hearts are broken. Someone said that art is the greatest expression of the human spirit: my kids are glitter glue cantors. We’ve made garlands out of coffee filters to string in our fellowship hall, to remind people of peace and buoyancy. The paradox is that, in the face of our meager efforts, we discover that in the smallest moments of taking in and making beauty, and in actively being people of goodness, mercy, and outreach, we are saved.

~~Anne Lamott

I agree, Annie. For those of us living in our second acts, what wisdom might we offer young adults feeling a little shaky right now? In response to our current unstable world, I'd like to offer a class for any struggling young adults. All are welcome, as we Episcopalians are known to say. I would offer the following curriculum: Beauty 101, Kindness, Justice, and Mercy, and Self-Care for Troubled Times. There would, of course, be yoga. Tuition would be free with the caveat that students would promise to pass on the wisdom to the next generation. 

What might you teach?

I would also sit them down and share Jesus' famous words to the crowd who gathered to hear his wisdom in similarly tumultuous times.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom
 of heaven. 
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil 
against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

~~Matthew 5:1-12

Barely an adult himself, by today's standards anyway, Jesus could likely relate to the stressors of a first-century life of fear, persecution, poverty, and political instability. I imagine his words must have been a balm. Jesus was so chill.

Can we all just agree that adulting is sometimes hard? That we don't have to go it alone is a very grown-up realization. (We did that! Good for us!) 

Also, we are blessed. We are blessed at every single stage of our lives. 

Thanks be to God!

Amen