I do not know it goes elsewhere, but a favorite passtime in Aruba of people over 50 is shaking their heads at various times and mutter: "Ai! E hubentud di awe'n dia".
(Oh! The youth of today.).
'Youth' referring to everybody under 35. You would think that it is not such a big age difference, and yet . . . These utterings cause a faint sense of irritation in me, sort of like trying to swat a fly that you will never ever kill anyway. I mean, yeah, some people who fall in the 35-or-younger category make some spectacularly bad decisions, but hey! Guess what? Some of us are actually productive members of society. Total shock, right?
I was reminded of this Sunday night, when I went to a concert of a former classmate of mine, Jonathan Vieira. He is at a fairly young age (24-ish) a gifted musician, and so the MC was extolling his virtues, accomplishment, etc. etc. etc. Of course she mentioned that he should be a role model for the youth of today.
Well, yeah, she's right, of course. Vieira can be considered a role model, but not because he plays the piano well. Okay, he plays the piano very well, but Lord knows that not everybody can be given that gift. Watching him entertain the crowd, telling anecdotes about writing a song for Queen Beatrix or an inquisitive girl with green eyes, he exuded such confidence that I have rarely seen in anybody at such an age or even ten years older than that.
And for that he should be a role model.
Image courtesy of Jonathan Vieira.com