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Toronto as an Adolescent
Being delayed while travelling around a city like Toronto is just the norm. Yesterday, the Gardiner lane closures got me as I was headed to see friends. More than once, a streetcar I was counting on has been delayed by 30 minutes or more because of construction. And then there's the king of all delays--the Eglinton Crosstown. Trips across the city on the new TTC line are promised to be 60% faster, when it opens. A city in a state of rapid change like Toronto has road and rail systems that don't work quite right because they are unfinished. Connections between system elements are blocked, non-existent, or under construction. And until all the connections are made, the road and rail systems can't function to their potential.
The plight of Toronto is very similar to that of an adolescent. If you've spent any time around an adolescent, you will observe flashes of brilliance and excellence paired with seemingly inexplicable instances of bad judgement and foolishness. And the reason for this, is that much like Toronto's transportation systems, the adolescent brain is still under construction. The potential is there, but the proper connections are still being made.
The similarity between Toronto and adolescents is perhaps why I like Toronto so much. I see the potential in both, and find myself rooting for them rather than complaining about them (most of the time).
If you are inclined to root for adolescents, you will be pleased to know that on June 5th, there will be a group of Midtown parents gathering to learn more about "WyldLife," which is Young Life's ministry to middle school students. I believe there is both a need and the potential in Midtown for caring adults to "show up" in the lives of middle school students in the name of Jesus. We hope to find many other adults who feel the same way.