Children need adult supervision and so this phrase has been commonplace for a long time. More recently the same phrase has been used with comic effect regarding adults who themselves need adult supervision. This is not normally intended as a compliment. Is it true? Is it true for you? The premise that it is not suggests that a person can be complete in themselves, independent and autonomous. Do you know anyone who thrives and grows in such conditions? Do you know that you cannot provide the total guidance that you need for your own life?

Do you have strong feelings about public policy? Do you think the world would be a better place if you ran it? Be careful. Every tyrant thought the same thing. You have respect for the power of fire and of electricity and of machinery and moving parts, knowing that they can be harmful as well as beneficial. Are you an expert in the safe operation of these things? Do you have the same respect for political power, or power over others? This is an even greater peril and subject to even more abuse. You should hesitate to think that you would do a better job than those currently in power.

Have you had people share with you their stories of great heartache and loss? How do you respond? One approach is to share your own story as an expression of empathy, but be very careful in how you go about this. What is your motive in sharing? Is it to identify with the other person in the solidarity of suffering or is it to tell a better story and shift the focus to your own pain? This leads to an escalating game of ‘Can You Top This?’. There are times to be meek and humble and remain silent about your own pain, or to present it in such a way that it gives life and comfort to others.

Do you tend to categorize the people you meet? In a negative sense this is called stereotyping, but who can resist the temptation to simplify the task of matching people with identities? For some there are obvious visual indications, but do you like having an identity assigned to you based on your appearance? Is it an improvement to take a more detailed and complex view that results in more categories? What about moving in another direction and further simplifying the task? If you could reduce the process to a single category to include everyone what would it be? How about child of God?