From the beginning of life there are rules. Fire is hot, don’t touch it! When I came into this world it was a much different time than it is now. We were given a set of rules to live by and we did it. Had we not, there were consequenses some were physically painful, some were emotional. But through them we learned how to become responsible members of society. Because in society there are another set of rules and they are actually easier to follow than all the ones growing up. This is the joy of becoming an adult, the reins are in your hands now.
So, here we are in 2009 and there are at least 2 generations that didn’t have to live by that set of rules. Now, they are adults and they make the same mistakes they did as children. Because it wasn’t wrong when they were a kid, why should it be now? Thus we have the crumbling of the structure that we depended on for so many years and that was the American Dream! You see the dream should still be alive for those who have yet to come into this world. There are a few shinning examples still out there that give me hope that one day it will live again. The American Dream meant different things to everyone, but the core of it is simple. Go to school and get an education from it. Go to college and gain a career from it. Find love and wrap yourself in it. Get married and grow your family. Retire and have your grandchildren run around and be happy. Die knowing you left nothing on the table.
How did we get from there to here? Simple actually, none of us liked the rules as kids. Speak when spoken to, do what your told. Do your chores. Keep your room clean. Keep yourself clean. Do good in school…. Ahhh it was torture. Suffering the physical results of not following the rules was tough. From this there are some that saw it as a lesson learned and didn’t make those mistakes again and evolved. Some however, used what was hapenning as fodder to rebel. Not then mind you, but later when they had kids of their own. I’ve heard it a million times, I would never do that to my kids. Don’t get me wrong some people did have it awful. But we cannot condemn the idea for a few tragic results. I hated the “go outside” when my folks had people over, because I knew something amazing was going to happen and I wasn’t going to see it! You learned to respect them and now as an adult and having those close to me with children. I know why we were told to go, you cannot carry a conversation with a kid in the room, nor can you talk as an adult in front of them. This had another edge to the sword as well. Children think that they deserve as much respect as an adult. And what”s worse they have parents that think that as well. WRONG!! Listen people I have suffered, lived, cried, laughed, and held lives in my hands. There is no intelligent person that thinks a kid deserves as much respect as I. I took a long time getting here and that is what it’s all about. Earning respect, not simply having it handed to you. I never ask for anyone’s respect. I do my level best to earn through my actions. There are still rules mind you and that is why our judicial system is overrun now.
What’s the answer? It’s not easy nor is it feasible. It would and does take parents actually raising their kids and not just living with them. This means making the hard decisions and sticking to them. The children didn’t ask to come into this world, you made that choice for them. It is your resposiblity to give them the rules to govern their lives so that when they have the reins in their own hands they make the right choices. Their adult life good or bad is on you! Take the opportunity to make it a better world and raise your children right. because remember it is they that will take care of you when you no longer can. Thank you for reading this, I feel better now.
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