musings..day 5

I have always wondered how I manage to make friends with people (only for effect for this blog, I usually refer to them as kids) almost a decade younger than me. I have a job that requires me to work a lot with young people. Most of these friendships/acquaintances have originated at work. These are relationships which can't be termed as 'friendship' in the absolute sense of the word. I don't hang out with them over weekends nor do I go out drinking or shopping with them.Though I do invite them over for dinners at home or meet them for coffee at baristas or CCDs.To most of these kids, I am a mentor or guide for their lives. They discuss career options, girlfriends or boyfriends, parent relationships or work problems with me. I am usually the only 'grown up' they have dialogues of these sorts with. I don't know what to call them- friends? - not really there acquaintance? students? - they are definitely more than that.
They usually swear by what I tell them.and I usually don't find this out till much later.
Maybe this is because I treat young people with respect and maturity I think they deserve but do not get from most grown ups they encounter.
Me? I like being with young people.I don't think I would ever trade my grown up friends with them though.
After my marriage I had to grow up overnight to share intellectual space with someone almost 15 years older. Maybe it is the madness of my 20s which I missed, which I seek in the moments I look at life thru the eyes of a 20 year old. the freshness, the freedom of choices in their lives I see makes me feel as if I have lived my life thru the entire spectrum.