I’ve just now realized something.
How stereotypes are made to be broken.
And you’re thinking to yourselves really? You just NOW learned that? Welp you’re behind because everyone knows that already.
Or do they?
Let’s see. If you are a millennial, you are presumed to be lazy, entitled, delusional, narcissistic and unreliable. And like with any generalization, you might be capturing a few such youngsters.
To me, these adjectives are personality traits. I know plenty of 40 and 50 somethings who ARE lazy, entitled, delusional, narcissistic and unreliable. I know some 20 somethings who are exactly the opposite.
Why I am I going off on this tangent you might ask. Well because as quoting Oliver in Truly Madly Guilty “he couldn’t bear to roam around in his house while his thoughts scuttled like trapped mice” Yep, this blog is my walking path which figuratively takes me out of my house as my thoughts scuttle around.
Back to non-millennial millennial.
Yesterday I got off early. I came home to find Lulu in her room painting. She had re-arranged her room as well. She told me she had been in her room all day. She was re-doing some of her original art work.
She said she felt guilty for being lazy. I told her it was okay to paint the day away every once in a while. Why not? Plus moving furniture was work. Plus life’s too short. She should take opportunity to have fun.
I asked her why re-paint and not start something new. She said because she is a better artist now and has learned some things that can improve her original works. Each piece has meaning. She simply wanted to give them a fresh lift. I glommed on to “better artist now”, a hint at improved self-esteem.
She washed off her brush. Then she came out to the family room to sit with me before she went to work. About 10 minutes into our conversation, she got a call.
Lulu: Yes this is she.
Lulu: Sure I can be there.
Lulu: Really it’s no problem.
Hanging up she said I guess I get an extra hour. She grabbed her water bottle, her lunch bag and off she went. It never even occurred to her to say no to the request to come in early.
After she was gone, I went to tidy up. Our counter-tops can get cluttered with mail. I noticed, there was nothing for me to straighten up. I went to unload the dishwasher but it was already done. The dogs had been fed. It struck me that since she has been back for summer vacation, she has done these things regularly without any prompting.
I thought about how hard it is to staff her current job. This is the 3rd time now that she has earned an extra hour. So someone could go home early or because someone called out. I mean c’mon who would take her menial job seriously? That’s sarcasm folks. She does. Seriously.
As always, more to come.
J-Dub's Grin and Bear It 