Last weekend – Easter – would certainly have created a treasure trove of priceless memories for many of our younger generation; lots of sunshine, Easter Monday kite flying on the seawall, or in open spaces, bundles of fun, the overwhelming delicious smells of barbecues, cook-outs, and spending time with family and friends.
Simultaneously, as the children bravely fought with the forces of nature – wind (or lack of), bright sunshine and the accompanying heat – the older generation, sitting in the shade, venturing out occasionally and cautiously to render assistance to distressed little ones, entangled with twine, and wayward lengths of kite tails, or trying to figure out why their kite’s loop wasn’t facilitating the motions of singing or climbing (mountain loop), were probably overcome with a flood of memories of their own childhood. Their moistened eyes, hidden by sunglasses, or excused as due to the fierce sun if discovered, the only telltale indication of their emotional state.
‘Back in the day’, and perhaps, for the most part today still, children did not associate holidays with the practice of a specific form of religion per se. Holidays were enduring moments of fun and frolic, whether it be Christmas, Phagwah, Easter or Diwali. It’s strange how the human mind, at instances such as these, will search for and find an explanation for the riddle unfolding in front of one’s eyes. An ‘ole people’ saying, a quotation, a jingle, or a song might penetrate one’s thoughts.
…You, who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so, become yourself
Because the past is just a goodbye
…Teach your children well
Their father’s hell did slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick the one you’ll know by
The lyrics of “Teach Your Children” resonates. Penned in 1968 by Graham Nash, then a member of the Hollies, who did not record it (they did record a live version in 1983), the song was initially recorded on the 1969 album (David) Crosby, (Stephen) Stills & Nash. The following year, an enhanced version appeared on ‘Déjà vu’, the first LP (long playing record) of the group Crosby, Stills, Nash & (Neil) Young. A gifted songwriter, Nash, confronts the difficult subject of the generation gap, and how the two groups appear to be at odds understanding each other as older folk seek for their offspring to avoid their pitfalls in life.
Desperate to ensure that our children enjoy the best life, we tend to get carried away with ‘delivering the goods’ and in so doing, miss the boat entirely. Last weekend, observing children scampering around, screaming in delight at the sight of their kites soaring in the blue skies, only to be in utter despair moments later as they plummeted to the ground, should serve as notice to our misdirection of focus.
Our children, who are oblivious to the verbiage of our politicians and arguments over oil blocks, need our valued time focused on their well-being. While the concept of providing a better standard of living is an admirable goal, the investment of our time in our children’s psychological and physical development can neither be quantified nor replicated in any form. The time spent reading to our children from an early age, teaching them to ride a bicycle, swim, catch a ball, kick a football, hold a racquet, once lost, cannot be retrieved. They really do grow up very quickly. We who deflect with the excuse of having to provide for the family should pause for a moment and reflect on last weekend, or worse, think about what we might have missed.
…And you (Can you hear?) of tender years (And do you care?)
Can’t know the fears (And can you see?)
That your elders grew by (We must be free)
And so, please help (To teach your children)
Them with your youth (What you believe in)
They seek the truth (Make a world)
Before they can die (That we can live in)
In this timeless folk/soft rock classic song, Nash also cleverly renders the generation gap concept on its head by switching roles in the middle of the song, asking the young to teach their parents. Their openness to learning and new ideas, quick grasp of knowledge, and apparent lack of fear of the unknown, traits that seem to dissipate as we age, should remind us that we can still be taught by the younger generation. If we are absent in their lives, neither generation can benefit. We should never underestimate the necessity of spending valued time with the next generation who, sooner than we think, will be responsible for us.
…Don’t you ever ask them, “Why?”
If they told you, you will cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you
