Dear Young People,

Dear Young People,

I'm writing this letter to you today, not just as a representative of my generation, but as someone who deeply cares about the world we're passing on to you. On behalf of those who came before you, my generation and those before us, we're sorry for the world you've inherited. I want to say loud and clear: It's not your fault.

We've allowed shifts in our society that have shaped the world you live in today. They may not have been noticeable, as they occurred gradually over time. But many of these changes were not made with your best interests in mind. We didn't do enough to protect our cherished values and principles.

Children naturally look up to adults as heroes, expecting us to guide the way and make the world a better place. In many ways, we've fallen short of these expectations. We've not been the heroes you needed. We've not demonstrated enough resilience, compassion, or sense of duty in making the world better.

We allowed schools to become breeding grounds for ideology, where education was sometimes overshadowed by political and ideological agendas. We should have done a better job ensuring that schools remained places for open-minded learning, critical thinking, and free expression of ideas. We didn't.

We allowed the separation of religion from public education, which many view as a banishment of God from schools. We did not work hard enough for freedom of religious expression and secular education to exist together. We should have fought harder to ensure that faith and spirituality had their place in your educational journey. 

Governments have become increasingly polarized, and they often fail to represent the interests of the people. We've not done nearly enough to hold elected leaders accountable and true to their democratic ideals. We've not been responsible stewards of your political future.

We allowed the erosion of the traditional family structure, with parents sometimes having less of a parental role in raising their children. This has created damage that's deeply impactful. We should have done more to preserve the support and guidance that a loving family can provide. 

We've not encouraged young people to have a strong enough work ethic as our parents taught us. Instead, we've tried to make life easier and more comfortable for you. In doing so, we've inadvertently conveyed the message that hard work and perseverance are less important. A strong work ethic and discipline are critical to managing and overcoming challenges. It's crucial that we pass on the wisdom of our parents and grandparents who understood the virtues of hard work and self-reliance.

Yes, the world you're inheriting is burdened with many challenges. From social inequalities to political division. From economic instability to the often-overlooked mental health crisis. Collective decisions by earlier generations have created these crises. 

Know that you're not alone in addressing these challenges. Many individuals from previous generations are ready to stand beside you and work together to find solutions. No, we've not been perfect, but we are here to provide love, guidance, and support as you navigate this complex world.

We cannot change the past, but we can help shape tomorrow. It's important that we all work together to fix what has been broken. We must come together to address the hard issues, bridge divides and create a world that is more just. You're blessed with the energy, passion, and determination to bring about positive change, and we are here to support you.

We apologize for many of the challenges you face, and are committed to being part of the solution rather than part of the problem. 

Love,

All of us

Note: There's a caveat that comes with this post. I've been rather critical of younger generations for some time now, and I believe they've earned some of the negative stereotypes. I admit that it's an uncomfortable post because it sort of lets them off the hook. I'm a big advocate of hard work, accountability, and learning from our missteps. But the tendencies of younger generations didn't come from nowhere. They were enabled by adults. Who gave them the participation trophies? Who made them more vulnerable by protecting them from discomfort? We have to take some ownership of that.