We met an interesting young man this summer.

In early June, a stranger knocked on our door. When I answered the door, a clean cut, friendly young man was leaning over scratching one of our dogs behind the ear, making friends. I took note that even the most wary pup had already decided to welcome this guy into the four-footed fraternity.

He politely told me he'd like to work here.

Ah, well, this is a home. We don't employ people.

That's okay, he said. I just love how this place looks. I'd like to work here.

Hmmm. My brain churned through all that I knew about Gen Y's as I listened to Chris tell his story. He'd gone to college, like all his friends, but hadn't found it particularly interesting or relevant. He'd stopped going. He had a job at a local place, but didn't find it particularly challenging or important.

He liked dogs and thought he would like horses, if he got to know some. He thought he would enjoy working at our place.

Well, ah, we really weren't planning to hire someone, I said. What are you thinking about compensation?

Oh, money doesn't matter, he said. I've moved back with my parents. I would just like to work here.

What could I say?

Well, my husband, when I told him the story later that day, thought the answer should have been pretty obvious. Are you crazy? he exclaimed. That sounds very weird. Of course you said, no, right?

Well, not exactly. You see, it didn't strike me as all that odd. He just didn't want to do things that weren't interesting, challenging, relevant or important. He sounded like a Gen Y to me.

So I had "hired" him. And he spent some of the summer hauling brush, mowing fields, repairing fences, and generally helping with farm chores. (And, yes, we paid him a modest wage.)

I hope he enjoyed the summer outdoors, although it was clear that he soon found hard work outdoors to be no more suited to his needs than whatever work he'd been doing indoors before. He set off on another adventure.

David Brooks, in his column for the New York Times, has described people in their 20s today as living through a new life stage - the Odyssey Years - a time of exploration and experimentation.

My recommendation is that the next time one stops off on his or her journey to try life in your neck of the woods, don't panic. They're just being Gen Y's. They're enjoying the experience -- you might as well, too.

Thank you, Chris, for sharing a bit of your Odyssey with us.