I don’t believe there has ever been a group of older folks, such as myself, who didn’t complain about the younger generation following them. And yes, I have done that on occasion.

However, I was young at one point in my life and truly believe the generation before me, including my own sweet parents, had reservations about us “kids” and how we would turn out as adults and what damage we might do to the world we live in.

With that said, I was fortunate enough to have been raised by parents that instilled a work ethic in me, taught me right from wrong, and never failed to tell me they loved me and were proud of me, even at times when they could have easily not been very proud.

I certainly wasn’t perfect, and neither are the younger generations making their way into a very difficult grown-up world we live in today.

Whenever I feel aggravated, for whatever reason, at one of these Generation Zs or Generation Alphas as they are known, I think back to my days as a teenager. I’m sure I did my share of things that led to aggravation by my elders.

Several years ago, I happened to be having lunch at a restaurant where a large group of my high school teachers had gathered for a retirement event. As I left, I passed their table and several spoke up to say hello. 

I took the opportunity to thank them for their efforts and to collectively apologize for any mischief I may have caused them during my school career. Luckily, they laughed and said I wasn’t that bad! I wasn’t sure how to take that, but I did feel a sense of relief in my confession to them.

More recently, I have had the opportunity to visit with or hear from several young people who have been the subject of interviews for a magazine story or a Farm Bureau connection during our recent annual meeting.

And I have to say, I don’t believe I have ever met a more dynamic, well spoken, and generally pleasant group of young people, with the exception of my own children, of course. (They read this column!)

With each encounter, I walked away feeling such a sense of comfort knowing what great leaders these “kids” will become one of these days. I can assure you that the future will be bright with such well-rounded young people looking to take the world by storm as they grow.

While not all of those that make up these younger generations will be as “dynamic,” the potential is there for all of them, perhaps if we show them a little grace when one messes up our fast-food order or offer some mentorship for those still searching a path forward.

After all, even some of us older folks are still searching for a path, as we travel down the backroads.