The Next Generation

ff


Yes. There they are in all their glory. Their non-flashy uniforms, lack of special abilities or powers and none of them are even in "super hero" physical shape either. Just a couple of people/aliens/droids who once travelled the galaxy because it was their job and it made good 80's television.

The sad fact is, me and my dad would always watch this show. We never taped it off tv, bought the movies, or even considered attending one of the notorious star trek conventions. But, we would watch it as if something terrible would happen to the world if we missed as episode toegther. We knew all the main character's names (I can still name them all), all their signature phrases, and we loved it. My favorite character was Leuteniet Riker (the one with neck beard in the front row). I would sit on the brown chair (yeah, totally early 90's) and root for Riker to get the girl or figure out a way to get his team off the alien planet and save the galaxy. My dad didn't really have a favorite character...I thought that was so lame. Me and dad. "We were a bunch of nerds...or were we?"

I don't think me or my dad were ever critisized for watching star trek. One reason could have been that it was a newer show then and not everyone who watched it could tell that the spaceship was a toy being held up by fishing wire, but I wonder if we never knew were nerds for watching it because no one told us we were (stay with me here).

I feel like there is not a thing I do to this day that there is not a 100% chance that someone, friend or enemy, will let me know what they think abot me in some manner of humor or sarcasm. I do it too. Its like we are waiting for our moment to shine and someone's life is our diving board. This creates a tension.

I wonder if this has anything to do with life? I wonder how my relationship with my dad would have been if any of our friends made fun of us for being "trekkies?" I wonder, because I can't really know for sure, if my dad and I made it through life together because we didn't have people in our lives who made us feel like we need to defend who we are. Life wasn't and isn't perfect. But it makes me think that negative words, thoughts, critisisms, sarcastic remarks and joking at any level has adamaging effect on life. That maybe this wasn't what God created us to laugh about.

I don't believe that we were created with the inate ability to have to defend who we are.
I wonder if any of my "uneeded comments" have affected friendships or family ties?
I wonder if my words and actions are bigger that I am?

I'm not trying to sound like a childless parent here. We all know inately that "tearing someone else down to make ourselves feel better" is wrong. blah blah blah.
But I had never really thought about how great it can be when that works. I think back to a time in my life when I did not have to defend who I am or what I do? Life was simpler, life was good.

I don't think we are able to do anything anymore without thinking about what others will say, think, or do in reaction to us. That makes me sad.

I'm sorry to anyone who I have hurt by my words, stares, whispers, writing or selfish joking.

Jared