Articles

Youth Sahavas

By Ann Conlon

I told Baba stories one morning at this year's Youth Sahavas and found it an extraordinary experience in more ways than one.

I've done this before at sahavas over the years and found it difficult. The teenagers in those years were not open and certainly were not about to let anyone over 25 or 30 into their lives. For me it was like trying to talk to a very thick brick wall: I got no feedback from that audience, either with body language or facial expression. Frustrating, to say the least.

But this year, how interesting. There appears to be a whole new generation here now. They are open, out front, responsive and - thank God for large favors - they have a sense of humor. They are not even embarrassed by the limps and canes of their much older guest speakers. Where did they get that, that ability to be comfortable in different circumstances? It is something that usually comes only after much practice or training. They are not old enough to have had either.

There could be many reasons for these unusual attributes, but I choose to put it down to the fact that they are the children of the children of the '60s, that they have inherited that ability (short-lived though it was) to face the world with a disarming combination of innocence and determination, sure of themselves, their goals and the paths to those goals, and sure of their place in the world. But they also have something more, I think, an extraordinary infusion of Meher Baba's grace. It shows, and I think over time the world will see it too, and benefit from it. Perhaps these youngsters even have in their hands the wherewithall to change that world. Wouldn't that be something?