How does Age fit in?

[Saraloop]

 To stay in a body that doesn't fall too deep into either gender. To get less expectations from society (Hey I like to climb trees too). To be small and good at infiltration   and agility, flexibility.  To have less trouble acting out one's innocence and/or playfulness.
.. I dunno, just that is enough reason for me, it hits my longing pretty good.

[ZaidaZadkiel]

I wish I was able to return to my childhood.
If I became 12 again, I'd have 13 years of experience, and begin 12 is not that bad, I could start hormones because I'd know that that's what I really want. And I could learn to deal with people better, and some 13 years later, I'd be a femenine androgyne who is good with people, computers and drawing.

Yeah, I'd become the president of my country.
Too bad that returning to childhood doesn't happen often.

re: jobs for teenagers
There are many ways to get money, if you have the pseudo-immunity of age, well, you can do a lot more things. Protip: Formal employment is not the only kind of employment.

[Fenrir]

I would love to return to being about 6, because everything was much less complicated (both socially and physically) and I'd love to be able to leave everything up to the power of the grown-ups and just be utterly carefree... 
I hate being the age I am now. All teenagers talk about is alcohol (I don't drink) and relationships (I'm pretty much asexual, too)... So much for living it up! 

[Jaimey]

It would also be nice to be made of rubber again.  I fell out of an attic once...5 foot drop and then down the stairs and I was fine.  If I did that today, I wouldn't be able to walk for a week. 

[Pica Pica]

One nice thing about getting older is that I know more stuff, that's nice. Things that were completely mysterious before, I now know about. When people talk about an event or a song or a story, I generally know what they are talking about. I like that.

But sometimes I just want to be five, skipping around and finding things exciting. I'd like that too, it would be great fun.

[Simone Louise]

When my own children were young, strangers would admire them and say: "Don't you wish they could stay this age forever?" I would shudder and mutter "NO". One of the greatest joys of parenthood is to watch them grow, develop personalities, ambitions, and opinions. What a miracle it is to watch their growing independence and competence. Never would I have guessed how each would develop.

I, too, continue to grow and develop. The line of Robert Browning's Rabbi Ben Ezra (which I first read in a science fiction story when a teen) frequently run through my head: "Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made." Life is an adventure, requiring an adventurer's trust and daring, and the child's enthusiasm, thirst for learning, and sense of wonder. It requires the willingness of both child and adventurer to disregard the safe option.

Androgynes can use whatever body we're given to express our inner person. We can thumb our nose at society, and be masculine, feminine, both, neither, child or adult as the occasion requires and allows. We can express child-like joy and happiness regardless of external circumstance.

Thankful to be free; next year in a promised land,
S

[Eva Marie]

I must be the odd androgyne out in the group. I was always a "responsible" person, and had a very heavy responsibility load in my teenage years due to my family situation. Now that i'm somewhere between 40 and 50  the responsibility load just seems to keep increasing. I'm kind of tired of it to be honest 

I'd love to go back and relive my youth without having to carry so much responsibility. I'd get to be carefree. That would be cool.

Now, as to the original topic I still feel the same as I did at, say, 20, but I now have a more mature outlook on things. That's the difference between 20 and 50ish for you youngsters - your outlook and the way you value things, and what is important.

[tekla]

Recently there was a person who was late for work again.  Me and one of my old pals were bitching about it and some other guy said, "Hey, don't you remember when you were young?"  And we both replied, "Yes, and we were not late then either."  The responsible people I know were responsible 30 years ago too.  It's a learned behavior.

[cindybc]

I was raised to be responsible, my sister and I shared and my mom all worked as a team doing the chores both in the house and outside the house. I was also kind of the neighborhood babysitter, but I still had lots of time for, as we use to call it back then, goofing off.
"Heck!" I still like goofing off when ever I can.


Cindy

[ZaidaZadkiel]

The responsible people I know were responsible 30 years ago too.  It's a learned behavior.

Does the opposite also holds true ?

Irresponsible people are likely to be irresponsible within 30 years ??

Because, I am horribly irresponsible, and it sucks and I can't become "responsible" yet :s

Do you think I have any hope ?

[tekla]

Well if I'm right, that its a learned behavior, then you can learn it, keeping in mind that the earlier you start, the easier it is and you can get to a point where it is too late to really do it.  But it can be trained into you if you are willing to be trained.  Few are.

I do know, from some 40 years of conversations with people I've worked with in a wide range of jobs, that the people I know who have real strong and hard work ethics (which begin with being on time) learned it from their fathers and mothers.

[ZaidaZadkiel]

learned it from their fathers and mothers.

That is really depressing, my parents didn't taught me anything like that.

Oh well. I guess I'll just have to work harder, then.

[Simone Louise]

President Franklin Roosevelt gave a speech highlighted by the statement: "To some generations, much is given; of other generations, much is expected. Our generation has a rendezvous with destiny." Riven, clearly much has been expected of you, and you responded. For that congratulations are due. Short of returning to someone else's childhood, maybe you can find a way to take some time away from your current responsibilities. You do deserve it.

For ZZ, responsibility can be learned. Don't expect to suddenly become responsible in all areas of life. Start small. Make concrete goals. One task in one area; when you have that sort of under control, move to another task. Be forgiving of yourself when you have lapses and celebrate your successes. To paraphrase a Jewish saying:Responsibility is not something you need completely master, neither are you free to neglect it.

Speaking from experience,
S

[Pica Pica]

you know simone, i could sit on your knee and listen to you being wise for hours, if you had reinforced knees.

[Eva Marie]

you know simone, i could sit on your knee and listen to you being wise for hours, if you had reinforced knees.

simone definitely has the gift of wisdom 

[Simone Louise]

you know simone, i could sit on your knee and listen to you being wise for hours, if you had reinforced knees.

An honor coming from a distinguished disciple of Dr. Johnson. Jaimey wants to come for a meal. You bring the ginger beer and some of your writings, and we'll ask Z for a song  or two.

This is the time of year Jews read the Pirke Avoth (Sayings of the Fathers). Some are appropriate to our discussion.

"Jose ben Joezer of Zeredah said: Let thy house be a meeting-house for the Sages and sit amid the dust of their feet and drink in their words with thirst." I try to follow that. Hence my invitation to you three.

"Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? He that learns from all men" To which we add, to make the inclusivity explicit, all women and all androgynes.

"Ben Azai said: "Despise no man and deem nothing impossible, for there is not a man that has not his hour and there is not a thing that has not its place."

Now to dinner (Sabbath chicken),
S

Serious omission: Jaimey, bring some of your writings, too.

Mea culpa,
S

[Jaimey]

Will do!  Did I tell you I started writing poetry?  Apparently, I'm a lot better at that than prose.    I wish my teacher had mentioned that three years ago. 

you know simone, i could sit on your knee and listen to you being wise for hours, if you had reinforced knees.

Me too.  We'll sit in a semicircle and receive your wise teachings.

[Nero]

Room for the unicorn king, Simone? I want to join the story/wisdom circle too. 

[Saraloop]

Aye. Wisdom tis the shiz

I like how you put adrogyny, Simone, and I feel the same, the only thing is that I'm still affected by society's judgements, and so am limiting myself from my true potential. Being able to act wheter masculine, feminine, or child-like, is freedom, it's not limiting yourself. Even though we all have our tendencies, I believe that everyone is androgyne to many degrees, and that most have come to forget the freedom they'd desire. When we were kids was the time where we could most act free, though of course we were limited in other ways. That's still no reason to forget about the type of freedom we had and/or desired.

As for being responsible, I suck at it   I'm the least responsible person I know of in my age group; early twenties.

[Simone Louise]

Room for the unicorn king, Simone? I want to join the story/wisdom circle too. 

Your Majesty, know that you are always welcome in my home and at my table. Bring your resilience, your inquisitive spirit, and a healthy appetite.

I hope you will not all be disappointed though. A local bookstore once asked me to give a talk on Jewish mysticism. After my talk, we agreed it was not what the audience was looking for. I gave no certainties, no rules, no discussion of the Sefirot, and no magic.

Studying Berkeley and Hume convinces me that the existence of matter, mind, or soul cannot be proven. The Pragmatists convince me I need to act. Camus and Sartre suggest to me that value lies in the action and intention--in Sisyphus willingly pushing the rock uphill everyday though he knows its futility. Through radical Reform Judaism, I have come to accept that I have a contract with all that creates and all that is created; that I must be open to learning the requirements of that contract; and must dedicate my actions to fulfilling those requirements. Mysticism comes into play because my mind is incapable of comprehending the totality of existence. In it, I see that I can only act from love, not from hope of reward, nor fear of punishment. Life can be seen as a process which, like breathing, consists of inhaling (study) and exhaling (prayer). Life can be lived by anyone, regardless of ancestry, gender, IQ, or education.

Or in shorter form, Hillel said: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow: this is the whole Law; the rest is the explanation; go and learn" (Shab. 31a--as cited in Wikipedia).

As for acting consciously and responsibly, that is what I struggle with, failing more than succeeding, every day. I am no different than any human. In fact, I am more distractible than most.

Now, what do you all want to eat and drink? Please, keep it simple--no bizarre smoothies.

In love and admiration for your Majesty,
S