I need it NOW!
These few words can sum up in a lot of ways all that’s wrong with contemporary society. It is the theme of the “Give Me” generation, of the children who were raised with their every wish fulfilled. Their parents grew up having to work hard and to save, and they grow up in relative luxury. Many grow into adulthood bereft of ideals, morals and principals. They demand instant pleasure and gratification. They refuse to wait, they refuse to work and they refuse to shoulder responsibility. This attitude and lack of commitment has been pointed to as the beginning of the breakdown of the family and the collapse of society.
As the prayer of the modern day goes, “G-d grant me patience… NOW”!
Nowadays we get impatient when a web page takes more than a few seconds to load, conveniently forgetting that a few years ago the very concept of exchanging information around the world took literally days. But is it all bad? Can we perhaps learn a positive lesson from all this impatience?
As with all negative behaviors and attitudes, this too can be expressed in a constructive way. Instead of reluctantly accepting the status quo, continuing to live as we have in the past, we can expect – of ourselves – to change and to grow. Instead of waiting until the best time - once I marry, or retire, or the kids move out, or whatever – take the reins of life in your hand and start to lead your life where you truly want it to go.
And expect the change NOW!