This, I believe, is the new source of authority that an adult can have. Not a coercive, power-over-you kind of authority. Rather, the self-evident authority of a guide who has spent more time in the territory of being human. In this spirit, a good “teacher” — let’s give that term to any human willing to act as such a guide — carries with them maps of their inner life. They know their emotional territory and the ways they’ve moved through it. They’ve evolved and honed a sense of purpose. They’ve learned to relate well and openly to themselves, to others, to wider society and to the planet. They can hold paradox and complexity. There’s a twinkle in their eyes, because they don’t get too caught up in today’s concerns. They know how to return to love. This is our source of authority now. This is how we reclaim the respect we naturally want from other humans around us, regardless of their age.