The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Every once in a while someone surprises me — with their actions, words or change in character. This is especially encouraging when it is a young person. Sometimes we don’t give them the credit that is due to them. We lump them into a generation that we feel is disconnected, entitled or lazy overall. We judge a younger group and figure they are all playing video games all night, binging on NetFlix and drinking energy drinks until they crash into a four-day coma only to emerge with less brain tissue than they had when they started their sugar-induced marathon.

But then you hear something and realize that there is hope. One example is a girl I call Bubbles. Some will know who she is but she went to college while going to high school. She also graduated both within weeks of each other and now she is doing the unexpected. You might think a young lady that worked so hard during the most stressful time of a student’s life would have gigantic plans for what was next. I am not belittling at all the adventure she is about to undertake, but rather comparing it to what today’s society might feel is the proper path. Some might think she would go into business right away or get a doctorate in medicine or something to that effect. She still might, too. But no, she is doing something that I call honoring her past. Honoring her father. Honoring the country she was raised in. She is joining the military. Desirae Garcia is following in the footsteps of her brother, father and, more than likely, a long line of family members to serve her country. To give back to those who gave to her. To stand for what she believes in and to stand for America. What an awesome testimony to what a youth can do if she or he sets his or her mind to it. I’m proud of you, Bubbles. I might have to get you a tougher nickname.

There was also a young man recently who changed his life. He knew he was on a sinking ship with the destination he had chosen. He was meddling with drugs and alcohol and was finding himself in places in his life that he had never planned to be. He made a choice to change. He knew where his peace had been in the past and he turned to it again. He went to church and found what he was looking for. But he did not stop there. This young man altered his dreams. He had big plans, but he knew the path he was on was destructive and he would not make it. He altered those dreams a bit and now God is a part of them. Doors are opening and destruction is not lying directly ahead anymore, but promise and truth is. A new light is shining ahead of him and he is walking in it; a perspective on all things has been awakened and a realization that a higher power had been with him the whole time.

Students unplugging from social media, goals being made instead of waiting, dreaming big, allowing a speaker’s words to embed themselves in their hearts, going to a conference that they know will be tough but is better than what they were going to do at home. These are all things I witnessed this last week or two, and they gave me hope for the future generation. There are other stories, too, but these are just a couple I thought I should share.

Hope for a new generation, in a soldier and a future rock star, in our youth who are bombarded every minute of every day by the distractions of this world. Some are making the right choices and we should support them 100 percent. Thank you, kids, for giving me and your community hope again.