'Everybody deserves a chance to be something great'

When your 14-year-old grandson David is visiting and he has an interest in helping you write, why not? This is a collaboration of thoughts. I asked him what it's like coming of age in today's world. Here's what he had to say.

“I'm from the great state of Alaska and recently made a decision to spend a month in Priest River with my grandparents. Here I've been exposed to new ideas and ways of life. Mainly I've seen how isolated Alaska is and the little opportunity I have there. I've discovered I don't want to be one of those die-hard Alaskans who live in a cabin in the woods all their lives. I don't want to die without anybody knowing my name.

“I've been raised in a beautiful and loving Christian home. I see now that to Jesus my life means something important and special. Not just me, but everybody's life. I think everybody deserves a chance to be something great.

“This makes me think about the problems we're having as a nation — of stereotyping people because of their race, wealth group, or even their friend choice. These traits are what make us all unique. I think that only when we express and embrace our differences, can we be truly the same.

“Stereotyping isn't going to help anybody express who they are. We need to stop teaching kids what to think. Instead, we should teach them how to think — so they can get that sense of adventure at figuring out who they are and what they mean to society. Life needs to be an epic adventure of discovering who you are.

“I've interpreted, as a Christian, that life has little to do with what I want, but what God wants. This isn't false, however even Jesus lived a little. We're supposed to be a mirror for people to see God, but if we don't live a little what use is that reflection?

“I encourage people to see their worth in life and go for it. It's OK to be famous, it's OK to make a name for yourself — as long as God gets the credit He deserves. If you fail, what counts is you get back up and learn from your mistakes, and use them to strengthen your faith.

“Most people relate faith to sitting in a chair and trusting it will hold you. This works, but God does more for you than support your weight. God is in your life as a counselor and teacher. He is one prayer away from any answer you will need. Faith is trusting that your question will be answered, problem will be solved, or a wrong made right.”

There you have it from one teen working on finding his direction — understanding life and his place in it, and learning his voice and its worth. As he says: “Everybody deserves a chance to be something great.” With Fourth of July a step away, surely our country's flag waves to that.