Also, very sadly, but not uncommonly, the child may not get to enjoy the fruits of the focus on the future, because they may die. In my life:
- A girl in my class aged 11 was killed by a bus.
- A boy I knew aged 17 killed himself and girlfriend by driving into a tree.
- A competitor at work aged 27 had a bad cold, went to the doctor and was rushed to hospital due to suspected Liver cancer and died on the operating table that afternoon.
- Good friend at aged 29 A got a brain disease and died over three years.
- Good friend at aged 31 got leukemia, recovered, got it back a year later and had an allergic reaction to the chemo and died.
The last three were all high flyers - two or three degrees, published etc. They had (like me) sacrificed a lot to get where they had and were just (at that time) beginning to reap some rewards. The last fella in particular had just bought a house, got a steady girl who was good for him and had had an "inflection" type promotion. All for nothing.
Teach children to enjoy it while they can. Maybe that gives them 9 happy years, or maybe 90.
(edited for formatting)
- A girl in my class aged 11 was killed by a bus.
- A boy I knew aged 17 killed himself and girlfriend by driving into a tree.
- A competitor at work aged 27 had a bad cold, went to the doctor and was rushed to hospital due to suspected Liver cancer and died on the operating table that afternoon.
- Good friend at aged 29 A got a brain disease and died over three years.
- Good friend at aged 31 got leukemia, recovered, got it back a year later and had an allergic reaction to the chemo and died.
The last three were all high flyers - two or three degrees, published etc. They had (like me) sacrificed a lot to get where they had and were just (at that time) beginning to reap some rewards. The last fella in particular had just bought a house, got a steady girl who was good for him and had had an "inflection" type promotion. All for nothing.
Teach children to enjoy it while they can. Maybe that gives them 9 happy years, or maybe 90. (edited for formatting)