The End of My Usefulness

[henry quirk]

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Point taken.

[Immanuel Can]

I've outlived my usefulness.

Are people "supposed to be useful" for some other purpose, Gary? Who sets that purpose?

[henry quirk]

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

On the other hand...

My kid is 18 today. It's one of those watersheds with all the associated hoopla. I wonder, have I done right by him? I like to think so. Raising him up has been an honor and privilege, and my life would surely be poorer had he not been central to it.

I can't imagine anything else I might have done for the past 18 years that can match, joy for joy & heartache for heartache, having a hand in bringing him up.

And, of course, all that is selfish, self-referential. His day, and life, aren't mine to take pleasure from, be comforted by, or take credit for.

At best, I steered him in the right directions, but he unfolded as only he could, in the way only he could.

I've been a witness, and -- as he allowed -- a guide, and not one thing more.

So: intentions, intent. As you say, there's a road paved with the good ones. I can only wait to see where mine land me.

Till then: I can only be immensely proud of the young man my kid made of himself, and mebbe mourn, just a little, the coming end of my usefulness as his caretaker.

[Impenitent]

happy birthday to jr caveman

usefulness goes well beyond caretaking

-Imp

[henry quirk]

[promethean75]

This is precisely why i don't have any childrens. I couldn't possibly handle seeing my son aged 18 leave the nest and go off to college or whatever. He's standing there in the driveway with his duffle bags. His friends blow the horn and shout 'c'mon, prom jr, we gotta go!' 'Well dad i guess this is it', my boy says to me. I reach forward, ruffle his bangs and put my hand on his shoulder. 'U know your mom wants to turn your room into a second study but what if u come back or wanna visit or....' 'Dad, it's okay. It's not like I'm leaving the country.' 'Yeah i guess you're right. Maybe I'm just being a little too...'

*horn blows again*

'Dude, c'mon! Hey Mr. Prom75!'

'Hey, kids. Eddie put your seat belt on will ya? Well u better get going, son.'

'We can face time when i get to my room. U can help me set it up.'

'Sure, I'd like that. Well... alright tiger gimme a hug.'

'Dad... *gestures awkwardly toward friends*... can we just shake hands?'

'Oh, yeah, right. Okay be careful and I'll talk to you in a few hours.'

The car drives off and i hear their joyful chatter fade away, a silence enveloping me as i stand alone in the driveway. My eye is caught by the tire swing. It hangs motionless in the silence.

Jesus i can't do this. What are u tryna do, henry, make me cry? Like I'm literally hot behind the eyes right now just writin that shit.

[Gary Childress]

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

On the other hand...

My kid is 18 today...

Happy birthday to him.

[Gary Childress]

I've outlived my usefulness.

Are people "supposed to be useful" for some other purpose, Gary? Who sets that purpose?

Well, it would be nice if we weren't headed toward environmental collapse due to our own production of waste. Apparently, God didn't make the world big enough to hold all of us and our trash. Another divine oversight.

[Immanuel Can]

I've outlived my usefulness.

Are people "supposed to be useful" for some other purpose, Gary? Who sets that purpose?

Well, it would be nice if...

Why don't you just answer the questions, Gary? I'm not being mean. I'm just helping you think through your assumptions here.

[henry quirk]

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

On the other hand...

My kid is 18 today...

Happy birthday to him.

[Fairy]

I've outlived my usefulness.

You're usefulness is purely in you're emptiness.

And vice versa.

You can discard the clutter that has filled up you're mind, only when you are willing to be empty.

No thing, nothing can outlive the usefulness Unborn, undying, un-manifest being.

[accelafine]

'you're' = 'you are'

[Fairy]

'you're' = 'you are'

You are useful. You are empty, you are full.

You are the I AM

I AM that, I am. And so are you. You are.

YOUR = OUR

OUR = RE -YOU = YOU'RE

[Walker]

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

On the other hand...

Good job, and well said! You’re right about the role of intent towards one being raised, and fortunately that intent is often self-generating. It’s interesting how personal memories of our own childhood seem so long ago, and in memory seem to have lasted such a long time. All that changes when a youngster grows up in so short a time. It’s like a time lapse. A few years now is nothing but it’s a whole era for a child. I remember first noticing you mention the boy, when he was about seven. Three of our grandchildren are the same age, one almost exactly the same age, so I remember. (Or maybe it was nine, or eleven. I have to keep a little notebook of ages and birthdates just for ours).

[accelafine]

'you're' = 'you are'

You are useful. You are empty, you are full.

You are the I AM

I AM that, I am. And so are you. You are.

YOUR = OUR

OUR = RE -YOU = YOU'RE

Oh shut up you insane twat.