Staying Positive in the Tough Times

I recall looking to the sky as I leaving  school one afternoon in 1962.  There was concern in the air.  President Kennedy had addressed the nation on the previous evening concerning the presence of Russian missiles on the Island of Cuba.  Living in Detroit, there was a reason for fear.  In those days Detroit was the industrial capital of our country and an obvious target.  That day was not the first time that I had felt threatened by the Soviet Menace.  During my grade school days we had regular air raid drills.  Reflecting back I am not sure how much protection there was in crawling under your desk and covering your head, but when it came to self preservation I tended to be obedient.

I reflected back on those days earlier this week as I read an article in USA Today.  The article focused on the resilience of teenagers in the face of a decade filled with tragedy.  Since the events of 9/11, we have seen constant conflict in the Middle East, The Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and numerous mass shootings, many occurring on school campuses.  The article spoke of how many young millennials feel that bad events will eventually give way to good.  It referenced a recent poll that indicated that many teens are returning to the values of their grandparent's generation.  There is even an increase in patriotism among today's youth and a desire to find jobs that benefit others.  The term "pay forward" is back in vogue.

It was only a year after the Cuban Missile Crisis that President Kennedy was assassinated. We were dismissed from school early that day, and when I arrived home I was surprised to see my dad waiting on the porch.  His office had closed early as well.  His first words surprised me, "Church will be full this Sunday."  My puzzled look prompted him to add, "We've been through this before.  People turn to God in a time of crisis."  He was right, and I've seen the same pattern numerous times sense.

If  the aforementioned article is correct, many of today's teens have a similar perspective.  One of those students, 15 year old Ayanna Martin of Memphis, summed it up, "I know this isn't the last catastrophe we will have to face."  She noted that she focused on her faith in a time of crisis.  She also dreams of a time when our country is again anchored to socially conservative values, and faith-based government.

As adults we need to mirror that sense of hope as we look to the future.  Our response to tragedy is the strongest witness we will provide.