Comments on: Guardian http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/ In need of a pause. Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:55:50 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: zonker http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/comment-page-1/#comment-2802 zonker Tue, 06 Dec 2005 18:35:37 +0000 http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/#comment-2802 <p>Only you could have a guardian redneck.</p> Only you could have a guardian redneck.

]]> By: Kelly http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/comment-page-1/#comment-2794 Kelly Mon, 05 Dec 2005 10:40:04 +0000 http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/#comment-2794 <p>Dude, you are so lucky! I am of the personal belief that we all have guardian angels, most of us just aren't lucky enough to have met them. I met mine as a small child and never forgot the experience. That was an awesome story!</p> Dude, you are so lucky! I am of the personal belief that we all have guardian angels, most of us just aren’t lucky enough to have met them. I met mine as a small child and never forgot the experience. That was an awesome story!

]]> By: T1G http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/comment-page-1/#comment-2793 T1G Sun, 04 Dec 2005 16:27:39 +0000 http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/#comment-2793 <p>Creepy... and very cool.</p> Creepy… and very cool.

]]> By: Princess Cat http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/comment-page-1/#comment-2792 Princess Cat Sun, 04 Dec 2005 16:19:21 +0000 http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/#comment-2792 <p>They are spooky at first but once you figure out if they are good or bad, they can be a real comfort.</p> They are spooky at first but once you figure out if they are good or bad, they can be a real comfort.

]]> By: Tori http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/comment-page-1/#comment-2791 Tori Sun, 04 Dec 2005 15:59:00 +0000 http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/#comment-2791 <p>Wow. That gave me chills!</p> Wow. That gave me chills!

]]> By: amelie http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/comment-page-1/#comment-2790 amelie Sun, 04 Dec 2005 15:23:10 +0000 http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/#comment-2790 <p>weird. very weird.</p> weird. very weird.

]]> By: Christina http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/comment-page-1/#comment-2789 Christina Sun, 04 Dec 2005 14:13:47 +0000 http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/#comment-2789 <p>I'm with the girlfriend, spill 'em.</p> <p>I'm also seriously chilled over here.</p> I’m with the girlfriend, spill ‘em.

I’m also seriously chilled over here.

]]> By: rsm http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/comment-page-1/#comment-2753 rsm Sun, 04 Dec 2005 13:34:45 +0000 http://blog.whenthesmokeclears.us/2005/12/04/guardian/#comment-2753 <p>Early adulthood is a time for testing limits. Those limits should not always have a safety net. A young adult needs the chance to screw up, to fail, to find out they are mortal. It is one of the things I most worry about with the latest generation: we have taken away so many of the standard risks and overly insulated them that they do not have the chance to truly test themselves until well into adulthood, at which time the mistakes can be substantial and affect a fair number of people. </p> <p>Often there seems to be a <i>luck</i> that young adults who do get to test themselves fall into. Or maybe it isn't so much luck as it is a plan. I won't say "Guardian Angels" but I do have experiences with something I can only describe as a guardian. Here are three of them: </p> <p>One night a large number of my friends from High School were headed to a party down in an old vacation house in the middle of nowhere along the Savannah River. Directions were photocopied and handed out and most everyone was to leave in one of several convoys. I couldn't go with any of the groups as I was working at a store and had to close that evening, but I would join them later. </p> <p>With the door locked and alarm activated, I headed into my '76 Malibu classic and started the long drive. It was over 2 hours away. The directions were wrong. I found out later that a couple of groups gave up on finding the place and that the party had been cancelled anyway due to parental discoveries, but without ubiquitous cell phones, it was impossible to contact everyone. </p> <p>Eventually bouncing along dirt roads leading into the bogs, I noted everything was dark in all directions. At one point in the labyrinth I decided to turn around, but apparently did not have enough clearance. I managed to get my big boat of a car stuck in some soft-sand embankment along the newly plowed road. After a few minutes of struggling without progress, I knew it was time for the very long walk to find a telephone.</p> Early adulthood is a time for testing limits. Those limits should not always have a safety net. A young adult needs the chance to screw up, to fail, to find out they are mortal. It is one of the things I most worry about with the latest generation: we have taken away so many of the standard risks and overly insulated them that they do not have the chance to truly test themselves until well into adulthood, at which time the mistakes can be substantial and affect a fair number of people.

Often there seems to be a luck that young adults who do get to test themselves fall into. Or maybe it isn’t so much luck as it is a plan. I won’t say “Guardian Angels” but I do have experiences with something I can only describe as a guardian. Here are three of them:

One night a large number of my friends from High School were headed to a party down in an old vacation house in the middle of nowhere along the Savannah River. Directions were photocopied and handed out and most everyone was to leave in one of several convoys. I couldn’t go with any of the groups as I was working at a store and had to close that evening, but I would join them later.

With the door locked and alarm activated, I headed into my ‘76 Malibu classic and started the long drive. It was over 2 hours away. The directions were wrong. I found out later that a couple of groups gave up on finding the place and that the party had been cancelled anyway due to parental discoveries, but without ubiquitous cell phones, it was impossible to contact everyone.

Eventually bouncing along dirt roads leading into the bogs, I noted everything was dark in all directions. At one point in the labyrinth I decided to turn around, but apparently did not have enough clearance. I managed to get my big boat of a car stuck in some soft-sand embankment along the newly plowed road. After a few minutes of struggling without progress, I knew it was time for the very long walk to find a telephone.

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