Everythings gonna be alright - No woman, no cry

Lately, I have been addressing cards, stamping them, and putting them in my planner so that, when I have a spare moment, I can write a note to a friend. My friends and I, well, we all seem to be living at a crossroads.

Ours was the generation raised to have it all, to be well educated and full of potential. We have a lot of options and many choices. Our lives would be made easy through science and technology. But a great dishwasher and better birth control does not make those choices easier or simpler. It is, just maybe, a little harder.

I got into a discussion with my boomer dad about parents not wanting their children to make mistakes. My argument is that, while no parent enjoys being in the bleachers of life while their children screw up, I'd rather see my hypothetical kids take risks, make a few mistakes, and trust themselves to be resourceful enough to come out of it okay. If you don't make room for mistakes, you won't have room for success either.

So I'm writing to my friends. Within each of us is a hole we can't seem to fill, a baby that can't be conceived, a house that can't be bought, a job that can't be found, a marriage that can't be unbroken, a debt that can't be repaid. Spread a little hope, share a little grace.

I have been weighing my options for getting more involved at my church. I'm thinking a gen-x outreach program would be great.

As I write this, I am thinking of my own mistakes and the many lessons that I have learned. At the same time, a puppy and his master are playing on the stairs and I hear thumps, growls, barks and uproarious laughter. A beautiful moment.