Rites of passage could begin almost anywhere, it just depends on your family, individual traditions, and personal milepost created in ones life. Hitting your teen years is a rite of passage more than likely the first rite we cannot wait to arrive. Just to hear you’re a teenager makes you feel good — until someone reminds you that “you’re only a teenager”, right? Then you have the passage into legal operation of a motorized vehicle. For some it’s an automobile and for others it’s a motorcycle. Nevertheless, the passage is significant. I say legal operation because most everyone in my generation drove before we had the right to legally do so. It could be a short drive to the store, your grandparent’s home, over a dirt road or just around the block, but most I know did that for sure back in the day. It was, I guess, a little extra special rite of passage granted under the best circumstances.
Other highlighted moments of passage that most would agree with include graduating from high school, receiving your certificate recognizing this mile stone of 12 years of education. The real privilege that comes along with this moment is that you have two choices. You can continue the educational process toward additional academic studies, career training or advanced specialized institutional instructions in a specific field of interest, such as service in one of our country’s branches of the military. Or you have choice two, which is simply go to work — yes that’s get a job. That last option, truthfully, is one you will be focusing on for your remaining days here on earth, like it or not.
I believe these are the basic rites of passage that each of us has an opportunity for, and these develop before us as we grow. There are many privileges that fill ones life, and I believe there is a distinction between a rite of passage and an advancing opportunity. Some folks may consider that these rites of passage are granted guarantees that “somehow or another we are due”, but I would not consider that to be true at all. Attendance in school is not advancement in school — it is only a part of the requirement to achievement. Age doesn’t mean accepted status of opinion or recommendations, it is, or should be however, an indicator of experience in life and valuable wisdom worthy of consideration. We all know folks that have wasted that cherished gift of time and have lost a level of value because of their choices; such is life and her experiences that we must deal with.
The opportunities of life, once achievement of the basic rites of passage have been mastered are endless, and the world is a vast sea with adventure on every breaking wave of life. These seas provide beautiful views and the most gentle of breezes to be enjoyed, yet, there is no more a disturbing moment as fearful as a stormy night at seas as well. One must learn to weather the storms and enjoy the sunshine with caution in each. Standing in the rain is okay, but move in if lightening is around. Enjoy the sun and her rays but remember to put on sun block if you’re staying out very long. Interesting isn’t it, just how difficult life and all her opportunities and responsibilities are.
This weekend my niece Brittany Elizabeth Baker is embarking on an adventure and one of those responsibility opportunities in life. It is no rite of passage, but it is a truly unique decision, the choice to unite in marriage. Selection of a mate, that’s only one part, working out the details of a wedding, time consuming yes, and earth shaking to you at the moment, yes, but this is all just one additional opportunity presently discovered. The additional moments will come, some planned, others unexpected. Greeting life honestly, and seeking wisdom and counsel from proven sources will aid you in your journey. When I was growing up there was this song we often sang at weddings entitled, “We’ve Only Just Begun”, and you have. My prayers — Scott and Brittany.
Until then …
Guest columnist Tim Mills can be contacted by e-mail at timothy.h.mills@gmail.com
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