Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Nurture versus Nature!

Life has it's many challenges and sometimes we do not have a choice of where you live, who develops us as an infant, a child, a teen, and a young adult.  The nature versus nurture conversation continuously is debated.  I think at times what if my family stayed in Idaho Falls, Idaho instead of moving back to Colchester in 1963.  Would I have grown up differently? I can recall the "rodeos" we went to, the large open fields of horses, ranches, and the like. Would I have become a "rodeo rider", a "rancher" or perhaps become what I am today an "educator?" It's always interesting to ponder about what could have been if you remained in a different environment.
     Those years, although a long time ago, remain true to me. I have a vivid memory of coming back to Colchester in "western cowboy" boots and having to adapt to the changes that eastern Connecticut(Colchester) brought with the change. I remember having to change from listening to "Elvis" to the new craze "Beatles". It was an incredible difference. Was it my parents who "nurtured" these changes in a way to my changing environment?  I believe yes. The nurturing quality of the family does allow for change and does let you thrive in your new environment.
     The most important quality I believe in developing children and young adults is the ability to "nurture" what is great in a person and to build upon it. It's not easy in today's world. Too often we forget where we came from and what we have to do to develop as a human being.  It's not an easy task today to raise children in a world that is so fast, so technologically oriented.  There are too many distractions. Nurturing an individual to their full potential is a daunting task.  The environmental distractions that exist today can cause the most environmentally sound individuals to stray off the best path in life. It's human choice to succeed and fail in my opinion.  It's a deep subject.  It's one that one can debate over and over.
    I'll stop rambling for now and read more about this old  "debate" that has continued for countless years.  When I related it to "Everyone's Shadow Is The Same Color" I can say that it may be the same color but what about opportunity and the ability to develop equally.  That is not always the same.  I believe though if everything is equal that once we give the right opportunity then the results should be similar.  In my mind though the debate will always continue. The studies how there are numerous. I will delve into it more and write more intelligent "dribble".  Thanks for reading.

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