Music and Hair

Jacob and I have been exchanging cultural-generational information today. I listened to his generation's music as he tried to load some tunes in his new Zune. He likes for me to marvel at Mythbusters with him, something that I would not watch if he weren't here. He agreeably listened to Young Messiah, and I told him how Messiah was a part of my heritage, singing in it first with my daddy, his great-grandfather. Yesterday I took him for a haircut and we talked about the styles he likes. He made a decent choice, now looking like he could be in High School Musical. I think it is good to have these exchanges with children and teenagers even if they are not our grandchildren. They keep us fresh and updated. And we teach them recent history and pass along our culture. How sad it would be for kids not to connect with anyone past their own or their parent's generation or see life through a more experienced lens. After retirement, my daddy, a character of the best kind, participated in a volunteer grandparent program at a nearby elementary school. I am sure there is a young adult somewhere whose life was made better because he was there. At this point in Jacob's life, getting the right haircut and knowing the cool music is imperative. But if I want to wear a bouffant hairdo and listen to the Everly Brothers or iron my hair flat and sing along with Sonny and Cher, who cares! I think it is probably good for him to know that one day he may be past all that, too.