Some Days, You Just Gotta Wonder...
I remember growing up, and a lot more seemed "right" with the world.
Sure, we still had crime...and taxes...and politics, but we also seemed to have a lot more "fun".
And, as we grew up, we took on many of the same responsibilities that our parents used to "enjoy".
It must have been all those nasty VALUES that were instilled in us BY our parents (or others who gave a damn about our upbringing) that made the difference.
So, if in times such as these, you have this nagging feeling that "something" is out of place, or that you appear to be a bit "out of touch" with the world...rest assured, you're NOT alone. You might recall times when your parents struggled to make ends meet.
There was always that house payment, or car payment, or even the grocery bill to wonder if your parents had too much week left at the end of their money.
I suppose being an only child makes one a bit more aware of such things, as they were regularly discussed at our dinner table.
Naturally, we were too young to make a difference then, but as we grew older, more seasoned, and (hopefully) a whole lot WISER, we carried with us those parts of our parents that made us proud to be their child.
It was their sacrifices (often unseen and unnoticed by us), their persistence and willingness to always want to do "what was right" that allowed us to grow up into who we are today.
Now, I know every family is different, and I can only speak from my experiences, but there was always a sense of pride in what my parents had, what they did, and how they brought me up.
I'd like to think I came away from all this with the best they could offer, tempered with my own life experiences.
And that also includes a lot of my bone-headed mistakes along the way.
Hopefully, I learned something during such times.
I look at everything as part of the learning curve, and the day any of us STOP learning, is the day we all take that long dirt nap!
We often have to remind ourselves that we have obligations and responsibilities every single day we are alive.
Some days, those things may appear minuscule in nature, while other days, they seem almost insurmountable.
But face them we do, because it's all part of life...and the human condition.
You can't learn anything if you deny yourself the opportunity, can you?
Life requires active participation...not sitting along the sidelines watching the "game" play itself out.
And part of that participation means we need to attune ourselves to what our senses are telling us.
We keep our eyes open, and we keep our ears open.
Because we are ALSO being observed.
Now, don't think of this as some sort of conspiracy plot, or schizophrenic phobia.
Just as we make observations about others, they are also doing likewise to each of us.
You look at someone...their manner of dress...their speech, they way they "carry" themselves, and you get a pretty good idea about that person.
The same applies to YOU.
People are viewing you and making conclusions based on YOUR actions...YOUR manner of speech, and the way YOU carry YOURSELF.
I always viewed this as being an "Ambassador of your family".
Do you represent the values and principles that your parents passed onto you?
Do you give off "good vibes", or do you make people shake their heads in disgust?
Hopefully, you ALL do the FORMER, and NOT the latter.
Which brings me back to my initial thoughts...
A lot more seemed RIGHT with the world...in times past.
Today, not so much.
Much of our society has forgotten it's core beliefs, and that leaves the rest of wondering our asses off what's coming down the pike next.
We've allowed a (growing) portion of America to become entitlement-driven, meaning all they have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride...and guess who's still driving? We are. And our destination is looking farther away the more we drive.
We've also permitted ourselves the "luxury" of racking up debts many of us can't honestly pay, and that starts at the top (The Feds) and runs all the way down into our households.
Did we REALLY need to buy THAT house in THAT development at THAT price?
With the economy in such flux, many families find they're in WAY over their heads when it comes to the whole "finances IN - finances OUT" gig.
Got more going OUT than coming IN, and that ain't good, no matter which way you shake it.
We can look at the foreclosure market to bear that much out. We're STILL seeing it happen, regardless of how many "bailouts" people receive.
Back in the late 50s, my folks knew HOW to stretch a dollar, mainly because we didn't have all that many of them coming the hell in.
Can we say the same today?
Granted, the dollar IS worth LESS than it's cold war counterpart, but does that mean people just toss up their hands and cave the hell in?
Well, that would be the EASY way out, but no one ever said that LIFE was "easy", did they?
Someone still has to pay for all that EASY going on...and most likely, it will be your children, if it's not YOU already.
(just don't let THEM know...it might damage their self-esteem)
I still believe we sell ourselves a tad short when it comes to being able to have that SPIRIT our parents used to display...that CAN DO spirit.
We've got it...we just don't use it all that much today (like we did back in WW2).
Maybe it's high time we took it down from that dusty spot on the shelf, blow away the cobwebs and open it back up again.
Then, maybe we wouldn't be wondering as much when it comes to what we're seeing in the world.
We need purpose...direction...guidance, and as Americans, we have it within ourselves to make those things happen.
And I think that the state of affairs today might just be the impetus we need to get that kick in our complacency. It's like that old saying:
"If people do nothing, then nothing gets done."
We spend the most time with OURSELVES...that's a given.
So who BETTER to motivate us into action, hmm?
Who can do for us MORE than ourselves?
Dad was one of those who often said:
"Want something done? Do it yourself."
It begins with each one of us...the same way it will end.
We ARE better than others portray us...much better.
All we have to do is know it, and believe it ourselves.
And that can start TODAY...if you WANT it bad enough.
Okay, I'm done with the soapbox...it's up to you now.
Be MORE than you were yesterday...be BETTER than you were yesterday.
The future depends upon it.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.