Back row

So I happened to notice a couple teens sitting in the back row at church on Sunday, and it reminded me of yon times of yore.

When I was growing up, I couldn't wait to be old enough to sit in the back row at church. It seemed to be a rite of passage. The teens always sat in the back row, and I desperately wanted to be part of that group. Ah, the desires of a 10-year-old.

The teens always seemed so cool and were always hanging out together. I was kind of jealous of that. No, I was more than kind of jealous. I wanted to be cool enough to hang out with them. Deep down, I knew I never would be because I'd never be their age. I would always be too young. They'd be in high school and I'd be in junior high. They'd be in college and I'd be in high school. And by the time I might be close to able to join their group, they'd all be gone - moved away and starting their grown-up lives.

Anyway, sitting in the back row meant you were "old enough" to strike out on your own. Because, you know, not sitting with your parents at church meant you were all grown up. It meant you were mature enough to pay attention in church without parents constantly checking on you. We found ways to not pay attention, of course, but nothing too serious. If the sermon was good, we'd listen. If it was from a passage we knew well, it was harder to stay focused.

By the time I was old enough to sit in the back row, the "cool kids" had moved on to college. But the back row was still "the place" to sit. Even today, I find myself towards the back of the church. It's not a bad thing, though, because I'm a Baptist and we all sit toward the back.

So, back to the teens at my church. I wonder if the back row is the same rite of passage for them as it was for me. Or maybe it was just coincidence.