The change of guard beckons

Recently my daughter hosted some 5 friends at our home for an overnight visit. All but one of them are boys and a girl whose parents have been friends with me and my wife for many years hence we have watched them grow up over the years to what they are today, young adults.

All of them are in college somewhere or the other around the world, majority being in Kenya and they are all now on the brink of starting off on their own life journeys free from the tyranny of parents, having learnt valuable lessons along the way which they hopefully will not repeat in their own lives and with their own families. Now peer pressure stares them in the face, they have access to the internet and all kinds of information at their finger tips and the influence that this can have on them.

Several of them have had varied experiences when growing up as children either from broken families, to having to live with step parents and step brothers and sisters, being shunted off to boarding school for long periods of time and parents separating for whatever reasons and periods with the inevitable imprint that this leaves on young and impressionable minds.

There are lessons to be learnt in any such situations and some may leave a lasting impression while others may be fleeting in terms of their psychological impact on the mind and future approach to life. As they exchanged stories about their various experiences, played cards, listened to music, had a drink etc it occurred to me that these children (they will hate my liberal use of this word) were on the way to parenthood probably making me a father in law and hopefully a grandfather in the not too distant future.

I have watched them grow from crying babies, to arkward toddlers, to confident infants, through school, through teenage and now as young adults and I wonder if I also did pass through those stages in my life to what I am today - almost a grandfather. This is the future generation now ready to take on the baton and the changing of the guard to chase their own destiny and vision in their chosen career paths with all the promises of youth and energy behind them goarding them on and channeling them to a life that is fruitful and gratifying. There is a time and a place for everything and those that ultimately succeed are those that know when and where to draw the line.

I wish you all the best - you know yourselves - as you take over the guard and wish you and your friends a richly rewarding and engaging life. Do the right things and encourage those who are your friends to do the same and make sure you enjoy life but not to the detriment of what is important at any one point in time !!