At Eighteen

There are two sets of dynamics that take place when our children turn eighteen.

The first is that they become legally adults able to make their own decisions and vote. The age use to be 21 and for some things like drinking alcohol it still is the legal age. It is a heady new experience for the new young adult able to move out on his or her own and do what ever they want within the law. Sometimes they discover the truth that not every thing is legal. The important thing for them is that now they have the “CHOICE” to make and mom and dad have nothing to say about it.

The second dynamic is for the parents who suddenly see this child in a new light being able to do what ever they want with out parental controls. This is a little scary since humans do not develop the powers of discerning cause and effect until about twenty-two. The child now eighteen goes to collage, military or gets married and you can do nothing to stop them. Parents can only hope that in eighteen years of love, guidance and teachings that morals and belief in God will have taken hold.

I think about this fact and about the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God looked at His creation and loved them and said you have the right to choose for yourself. I guess they had turned eighteen. Like our children today they did not always choose the right path and had to discover cause and effect on their own. Free will brings lessons learned the hard way. The message in the bible for us all is that like a good parent God loves us anyway and always welcomes wayward children home.