school cafeteria

There's been a couple times when an adult (and by adult, I really mean someone 10+ older than me because I've been informed I am an adult) has basically implied I, and my generation of peers, don't know what real struggles are.  We look to childhood as a time of such innocence and blissful ignorance, and we sometimes long to go back to such untroubled and enchanting days.  And maybe that's true to a certain extent (the less you know, right?), but it's always rubbed me the wrong way.  To assume that years on this earth is directly related to your understanding of what pain is.  So what do you say when you read things like this?

Though it wasn't limited to college, my college essay topic was about uncovering the quirks and stories of strangers.  The point I remember trying to make (though it may not have come through) is that the stages of getting to know someone is exciting, and for the most part, people always have something interesting to share - it's just a matter of getting it out of them.  Isn't that why people watching is so fascinating?  Who are they?  Where are they coming from?  Where are they going?  And everything in between.  And the older you get, the less you know about all the new people who come in and out of your life.  You can't know the juxtaposition of who someone is now and who he was a couple years ago except through the tidbits he or anyone else shares.  Nance floated the idea of putting together a presentation of our life stories to share with each other after graduation and before real world stuff.  It never panned out, but part of me would be very okay with sitting around listening to everyone's life stories.  Like picture me in a room on one comfy couch, a projector, and a line of all the interesting people I've ever met out the door.  You have half an hour to tell me anything and everything you want about yourself, go.

That also includes the less lighthearted things.  These are the stories you don't tell right away.  These are the stories that require a specific setting with specific people.  I think that's why these are the stories I want to hear the most.