A Letter to Gen Y

I am not sure why you are reading this blog. Perhaps you are a youth minister, college pastor, coach, teacher, employer or a part of Gen. Y yourself. Maybe you just love h.e.a.r.t. and read all of our blogs.

Maybe the only person reading this is my mom.

Whatever your reason, you have stumbled upon this article, so listen up!

Generation Y is a generation of contradiction and they did not get there alone. They have learned form us, the generations that have preceded them. Will we make the necessary changes to adapt to this generation or will we blame them for what’s wrong in the world?

So here it is my letter to Gen. Y…

Generation Y:

It’s said that your Generation is a generation of Paradox.

You are sheltered yet pressured.
You are self-absorbed yet generous.
Social yet isolated by technology.
Ambitious yet anxious.
Adventuresome yet protected.

Your generation is diverse yet harmonious.
Visionary yet vacillating.
High achievement yet high maintenance. (Tim Elmore, Generations iY)

I am forced to ask myself from whom did you learn this? It has to be from my generation – the generation that has come just before you, Generation X. To this, I say

you’re welcome,

and

I am sorry.

According to Elmore, my generation’s view of life is “I can endure this.” Yours says, “I will change the world.” I have to agree with him. My generation works to live while yours works to make a difference.

I speak of broken glass and shards. And I encourage you to be open and to start gluing pieces of the mosaic down so that healing and understanding can begin. It’s like I have this “O captain, my captain” complex. If you don’t know what I am talking about, watch Dead Poet’s Society. It will explain everything.

So this leaves me with another question. Have I shared my shards? Have I been transparent like the broken glass that makes up the mosaic? Even as I write this, my hands tremble at the thought of sharing all my “deep dark secrets.” I minister to your generation I am asking you to do so. I am asking you to be bold, yet I hide behind the old adage “I am an open book, ask me any question and I will tell you the truth”. Even now, I am hiding behind a keyboard.

As I sit here trying to figure out what to write, what to share, the computer falls asleep and I can see my reflection in the dark, shiny, screen. I look at myself and think “can I do this?” Can I be as bold as my friend, Bek, with her shaved head, tattooed skin and pierced nose?

I pray, Lord give me Bek’s boldness.

Maybe I am the student standing on my desk in respect and protest yelling “O captain my caption” to your generation (another Dead Poets reference) I respect you, I am driven by my passion for you.

So…what can I say to an entire generation that is not my own? As I learn to share my shards, I am ready to learn from you. I want to be the student and you the teacher.

Teach me to be bold,