The other day, Dad asked me what I thought the Biblical model for government is. This flowed rather naturally from another very grown-up conversation we were having. Somewhere in the middle of giving my opinion, I realized that Dad was listening. What's more? He was considering what I said.
Looking back, this wasn't the first time this has happened, but it is the first time that I had the realization that Dad was treating me like an adult. Then I looked at my life. I'm 28, married, I have a career job along the lines of my degree, and now I have a child of my own. I am pretty sure that I've crossed over. I am an adult.
Now let me explain the effect that this realization has had on me. The next week, I spent 15 to 20 minutes trying various topics to engage my father in another conversation. To spell the point out to me in big capital letters, my nephew was in the same room with his father. He was running full speed at his father trying to get him to wrestle. He would ask his Daddy to watch him play, and help him build a pump out of tinker toys. Sadly between the two of us, my nephew comes off as the more mature in this situation. At least his advances were direct and innocent. Mine were sad attempts to draw my father into a conversation where I hoped I’d end up looking smart.
And in case you were wondering… Based on Exd 28:15, Deut 1:1-18, I Samuel 8:7-22, Acts 1: 26, and Acts 2:44-47, I find it difficult to argue against a socialist theocracy with a panel of rulers chosen equally from each racial sect with disagreements being settled by the casting of lots or use of a large dartboard.
6 comments:
The dartboard idea I like. If governments had official legislative dartboards, they would probably have elaborate gilt scrollwork on the edges and the darts would be fletched with goose feathers dusted with gold.
I had a similar experience with my father, but in my case I was realizing for the first time that my dad was asking me about how the architecture of a new software-based audio compressor plugin differed from its hardware counterpart. The Ashes discuss politics and government; the Purtles discuss the obscure finer points of the hardware-to-software migration of the audio production industry.
By the way, YOUR father and I had a great conversation last Tuesday about law enforcement and evidence-gathering and the like, which I find fascinating. We were the only two members of a 6-member board that showed up on time for the meeting, so we talked for half an hour until the board president showed up.
I actually logged on to see new pictures of my nephew and decided to see what sort of insights my little brother has. Yours is the first actual blog I've read (full disclosure: I think I might have read excerpts from a couple of celebrity bloggers). I don't really have a comment about getting dad to talk to you. I've been at it 5 years longer than you. You just take what you get. My comment is more about you being an adult. After careful consideration (at least 2 minutes) (you'll notice I love parenthesis-are they allowed? - who cares) I've decided that anyone other than a missionary (I've given them special dispensation since they're supported by other people and it's a way of giving tangible evidence of their work) that has a blog is not an adult. I know you bloggers will not agree but why would any adult think that anyone else wants to read their innermost thoughts? And don't tell me you don't write for others. If you wrote for yourself you'd put it in this paper book thing called a diary. Anyway, I just thought I'd put your mind at rest. You're still a kid. As long as you're a little more responsible than the kid you have you'll be ok.
By the way, Ken said you should have just asked your dad to wrestle.
A blogger heretic! Is there a duck scale or equivalent for determing if she's a witch?
Secretly I agree: blogging is pretty egotistic. On the other hand, it's much easier than a phone call or email or (heavens forbid) a letter.
First of all, Mitchel, these are far from my innermost thoughts. No one would want to read those. I don't claim to be writing for myself either. It's more of a challenge to write something of myself that is interesting to others. Like a newsletter or or letter to the editor.
Secondly, someone who admits to reading "celebrity bloggers" shouldn't make themselves the authority on adulthood.
Well, you may be 'grown up' in all the socially recognizable ways, but I was just home for three days, so I know better. Between tramping throught the woods, stick-tights, spiders, fire, and water splashing, you, dear friend, are anything but grown up--and I am glad of it! So, what happened to all that oil? Oh, that's right, we made popcorn...
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