I sent our oldest son, a junior in college, an instant message about Americorps tonight. It's a program where you work your first year out of college in a job that serves humanity. You get your living expenses paid, student loans deferred, valuable experience, job connections, and after a year, an almost $5K education award to pay back student loans.
First of all, he was not bright enough to see that this would put him way ahead at the end of one year than he would be otherwise. There is no way that his first year on his own he is going to be able to find a job where he can pay all his living expenses and SAVE $5K. Instead he will spend it all and have to start paying off his loans right away.
But the reason I need to be slapped is to think that for one minute that he would be able to see outside of himself for a moment and think about serving anyone else. He has lived with us for 9 years, but we have no way been able to infuse in him the concept of doing something good for someone else. His questions were about how much recreation money and time he would have.
I was raised by the kind of parents who don't sleep in their own master bedroom and married a guy who pays to get a stranger's tire fixed. I am always seeking ways to make a difference in the world, to contribute, to serve.
But never in nine years have we been able to impart any of that servanthood mentality into our son. He is always looking out for number one.
Once and a while, when I'm thinking like me, I see a great opportunity for him and tell him about it. And he always finds it so dumb. He can't even fathom why it would make any sense to contribute to society for a year...it's like I'm talking to him in another language.
And when I do that I need someone to slap me and remind me not to bother ... want to be the one?
No comments:
Post a Comment