The Cycle of Generations

Okay, so I am going to preface this with a disclaimer. This is going to sound bad at first, but it is not meant to be that way. It is an observation that has led me to think about things and question my own "cycles". So here is the story...

I was sitting in Starbucks today, reading and people watching. I was off today, so I went down to Atlanta with Sarah to work. While she was at work, I went and explored Barnes and Noble and the Apple store, with a Starbucks break in there, too. I was sitting at the table that was in direct line with the counter where people pick up their drinks. I noticed a lady and her two boys, one being about 12, and the other around 15/16. They were all extremely large people. That is the nicest way that I can put it. I do not want to be extremely judgmental here; there could be a thyroid problem, or something that is beyond my scope of sight. But, for the story, I do not know of any existing problems. I sat there and watched the two boys eating rice crispy treats (you know the ones that Starbucks sells, that are about the size of your fists). The first drink came up to the counter ready to serve. It was a large or super grande (whatever they call em') Chocolate Smoothie, with some cookies or something in there, with chocolate whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top. The next two drinks for the mom and other son were two super grande specialty drinks with splenda. I sat and watched each of them have trouble walking as they left with their treats, and it made me think about the cycle of parents to children, and then me personally in my own life. Quite frankly, I thought, "Are those kids overweight because of the example and lifestyle that there mother has chosen for them?" This made me think about my own cycles that I live in daily. This does not mean cycles that I received from my parents, but the ones that I am beginning as an adult in my own life. Things that I could stop, but won't. Or, cycles that I will find ways to trick myself into continuing: pride, selfishness, being judgmental, being lazy, not having compassion when I should. I could go on and on about the battles that I face daily.

So, it brings me back to this: What are the cycles in life that we could fix or stop from continuing? It is so much more than overweight kids in Starbucks. Well, I do not mean to go getting all deep on ya'll today, but it struck me as I sat there.