Daniel's Generation

It has been a momentous couple of weeks around here: David and Chandra got married, the Phillies WON the World Series, and Daniel celebrated his second Halloween (but his first time as a Trick-or-Treater). Tomorrow is Election Day, and our nation will be electing a new President. Regardless of who the winner turns out to be, this election will mark the first time in history that an African-American has run as a major-party candidate. While this fact may not directly impact Daniel's life (at least not immediately), it serves as a distinguishing moment for his generation.

I am 30 years older than my son. When I was born, Jimmy Carter was president. Elvis was still alive, albeit drug-addled and portly. Cell phones were science fiction. Computers were...oh, you get the point. I think about my childhood as a slide show of memorable events: the introduction of the Cabbage Patch Kid, Madonna's debut album, crying at the end of "E.T." Politically, things seemed pretty stable (from my naive point of view). Ronald Reagan was a popular president. I remember prosperity and domestic bliss. I'm not sure if I was lost in the utopia of my own youth, or if things really were that good.

When Daniel looks back upon his early years, what will stand out in his mind? The current economic crisis? Hopefully not. The war on terror? Please, no. Barack Obama's run for the White House? Not likely. We live in uncertain times (sorry for the cliche) and life seems so much more complicated than it was 30 years ago. I can only hope that Daniel's current point of view on history is as innocent as mine was way back when. I hope that he looks back on his childhood as a time of family trips, cherished toys, and special occasions. He has the rest of his life to read all about the other stuff.