Ordinarily...

Every teenager I have ever met wants to be different. There is this primal urge in the adolescent soul to be unique and one of a kind. The absolute last thing they want is to be ordinary. And isn't that one of the things we love about young people?

Sometimes, becoming older makes you mediocre. But it doesn't have to. Some of you know we bought a new-to-us car last week. It's a really nice one, and honestly, it has a lot more than we need. One thing I realized about myself - I don't care what kind of car I drive as long as it's not ordinary. It can be a total clunker as long as it's unique. Edgy, distinct, just not like everyone else.

Adulthood can mean mortgage, minivan, cubicle farm, soccer mom, suburbia. It can mean the height of boredom. But it doesn't have to. Becoming an adult [whatever that means] does not give you permission to become ordinary. In fact, just the opposite. With more resources - like finances, wisdom, maturity, deeper relationships - you are even more poised to continue to live a unique, one of a kind life. A life that is poured out, playing the rescuer, battling through the dark, making others sit up and notice.

Photo: Loading pumpkins in our new-to-us SUV. The height of sport utility...