Products of Education

I am continually disspointed with the majority of schools today.  Not the concept of school, but the kind of men and woman that it generally produces.  I see many holes in the educational system of this world and crave to be back in an institution that encourages growth as human being, not merely growth in a political or societal position.

A young man by the age of twenty-two and the rest of his out-of-town family came into our home last night. His older brother, who actually lives in Charlotte, is one of my mother-in-laws employees and to our surprise, they all showed up for a brief introduction and visit.  Thank goodness it did not go on for more than an hour or so.

Imagine this.  The young man struts through the door where my husband and I were politely waiting to greet the guests, gives us both hugs, and begins to pace around the floors, look through the windows, touch the countertops and furniture, in a most unusual flighty speed.  He continually repeats to us how nice our house is and questions about who did the fine details of cabinatery, wood flooring, etc.  Barely inside for more than ten minutes, he then asks whether or not we have internet connection...whilst eyeing the laptop sitting in front of us on the kitchen bar.  We offer him the computer and he begins to upload some of his personal YouTube videos to show us.

I was not impressed with this boldness.  Having never met him before, we found it both odd and disrespectful that he should do anything other than sit down and have a normal conversation.  Perhaps try to get to know us? What a concept!

His only interest in us, we soon found, was our current educational status.  "So what are your goals," he began to ask.  "Where are you in school?"  It quickly turned from us back to him. He gave his long list of accomplishments, pointing out that he was graduating with a degree in psychology and hoping to eventually counsel those in mental facitilies.  He stated that as soon as he walked into our home, he was "feeling" us out and trying to locate our present state of comfortability and openness. 

"He, a counselor,"  I laughed to myself. Seemed like the last person I would want to go to with a problem.  And what was his angle, coming into a stranger's place trying to give us a little psychological evaluation? Is that what his classes were teaching him?  Funny how I had so-called "located" him immediately without ever having to run around a room and make myself look like a fool.

Surprised by how much we actually knew about life, he was often giving us high-fives for any exceptional comment we would make or every statement that made sense to him. I noticed him using words like "temple" and "worship" and couldn't help but to see the chuncky silver chain and cross hanging around his neck. Seemed cheap and superficial, considering he would rave about his experiences of being in the presence of the current pop stars.  One time even calling them "kings."

Never once asking about our relationship with the Lord.  Never once asking where we have been in life, spiritually, emotionally, even physically.  His major intent, it seemed, was to spread his fame to us and get us to see how much he could offer the world.  Wanting to be at the top, wanting to get an abundance of wealth, and wanting to be well-known, was all I got from my first impression of him.  One of his professors should have sat him down and trully questioned his motive for getting into a counseling career. And his parents should have sat him down long before that.

I was polite and my gentle smiles hid the true feelings I had towards this young man. We wished him luck as he left with the rest of his family.

Congradulations for him on becoming the exact product public and even some private education encourages: Me, me, me, me, me.