Trophy Generation

I've been told, not directly, but clearly, that I am a part of the trophy generation. You know, the generation that got trophies for showing up. We'd pay our money, get a jersey, and by the last game we would have our trophy. Win, loose, who cares -- we had good self-esteem.

But the point being made to me, was that we (yes, I played AYSO, and yes, I got many a trophy) are a generation of less actual skill. There is less true accomplishment on the piano, the classroom, or even the soccer field. That we feel so good about the part we give, we feel as if though we master a skill earlier than we really do.

Now, I don't know if I agree or disagree. The jury is still out. But this is what I know. I took an intense literature class in college. One in which we were reading a lot of Renaissance Literature and for the final we had to identify the author of different passages. Everyone in my class failed miserably and Professor Young was dumbfounded. We literally had a conversation in class about what had happened. He had resurrected a lesson plan from fifteen years earlier and decided to follow the syllabus with us. We seemed to have similar discussion, have insight and comprehension. He had no idea we weren't on par. And in the end we couldn't go the distance. He, without so many words, told us that we were not as smart as older classes - or as hard working - we just assumed we were getting it and weren't putting in the time. Yikes.

I also know that I played soccer last night and had the greatest time in my life. The team we were supposed to play forfeited and we ended up playing a pick-up game with any and all of the full-time indoor soccer-ites. Only a few of them spoke English, and I resurrected my Spanish - falling in love with Dolores and Sylvia (loving, by the way, to say my v's as b's again). Shouting, al lado and al dentro...scoring like crazy and just playing better because I was having so much fun. At one point, I stole the ball from our own Ronaldinho and the crowd cheered for me - people I didn't know who were getting into the game and respecting my play. I felt so good. Happy. I was so happy. And perhaps had I not gotten those trophies I didn't earn, I wouldn't have been having such fun. Perhaps...