I - Me - Mine

An article in the most recent issue of Newsweek caught my eye. The title was Generation Me and bemoaned that the 20-something generation today is more concerned with themselves and their own sense of self-worth than the world around them. The blame for this "epidemic" was fairly well distributed to parents, the media and the young people themselves.

I have difficulty buying-in to the premise. It certainly seems that young people today have a higher sense of self-esteem (not a bad thing), but what I see at Manna on Main Street is different. We have many young people who come in and fall over themselves in trying to serve our clients. I think about a young woman who recently graduated from a nursing program, found a job and is looking forward to when she can work second shift - so she can spend more time during the day at Manna.

Too, I have hope for the future. Wednesday evening a nine year-old girl stopped by with her parents. She had three bags of groceries with her. Instead of asking for gifts for her birthday party, she asked her friends to bring food to donate to Manna. Parties like this among young people are more and more common. I wouldn't write off this or any generation too soon...