By Stephen C. Schultz We live in a world where almost everything is available to us immediately. We can order food, purchase just about anything, communicate with someone across the world, or find entertainment without ever leaving our homes. We have become accustomed to getting what we want, when we want it. For today's teenagers, the innocent days of riding around the neighborhood on your tricycle are gone before you know it. The ready access to just about anything you want isn't simply a convenience. It is the environment in which they are growing up. Consider how easily young people can access alcohol or drugs, spend endless hours playing video games, or view pornography anytime and almost anywhere. They can pursue immediate physical gratification without necessarily experiencing the patience, vulnerability, and relationship-building that come with getting to know another person. "I want what I want, when I want it, and I want it right now" seems to have become a...
Life presents us with experiences. We each interpret those experiences through the lens of our own history, relationships, struggles, and hopes. The same story can mean something entirely different to two different people, and that's not a flaw, it's part of being human.