Children of Light - Growing Up in Political Turmoil

I was thinking earlier today about what it must be like for the Greek children who are growing up in a time of such uncertainty. Do they know what’s going on? Are they hesitant or anxious about their future? Is the economic and political unrest extending into their home life?

With no single case study or interview to confirm my predictions, I would be willing to bet that the answer to all of these above questions is “yes”. Children are wonderful observers (they need to be in order to learn about themselves and the world), and though I’m sure they know something devastating is occurring, some of the younger ones might not even know what it feels like to live in a place without anger and strife.

Many of the older children probably realize that they are inheriting a Greece that is on the brink of complete collapse; one newspaper recently ran an article exclaiming how all Greeks will inevitably become bankrupt by March of this year. The answer to this dilemma is unclear, however it seems to me that no matter their capacity to make political revisions and stimulate the dwindling economy, they must do their best to shine in such a period of darkness.

The picture above shows a young boy kicking tennis balls back and forth with his father. This picturesque kind of timelessness and ease is one thing that I’ve grown to adore in Greek culture, and it never ceases to amaze me how many Greeks appear to living without worry. Although I am not advocating that everyone forget about the present situation, I do believe believe they can help solve the problem without first strangling themselves in stress. This intense crisis has put pressure on the next generation of Greek citizens; in order to keep themselves from the cracking, these young people must be able to focus of living in the immediate moment, bringing light to the present circumstances as this father and son are doing here.