In the 16th century a man who lived to be 60 had, on average, been married three times. But the effect was the same. The chances of a child being reared in a broken home were, therefore, much the same as they are today. In his lecture Jones also said, We live in times which are generally recognized to be bad, and it is popular to bemoan the declining state of nearly everything. What we re really bemoaning, he went on to say, is change.
Most people walk backwards into change.
People who place the locus of the virtuous life somewhere in the past are constantly looking back towards it, instead of watching out for what is coming. As we look ahead to the next millennium, our prospects may be less alarming than the doomsayers now predict. I for one will join no cults in anticipation of Armageddon. Instead, if I am fortunate enough to still be alive, I will celebrate my 50th birthday in the year 2000, and toast the wisdom and faith that are the gifts of time well spent in the 20th century. I hope your future looks bright, too whether you re trying to achieve a more satisfying marriage, or reflecting on the complex bond between you and your child, or coming to terms with a difficult relationship with a troubled parent, or tending to the multifaceted needs of the extended family in your workplace.