Say What?

Have you ever had a time when you want to voice your concerns and yet you’re not quite sure what your concerns are?

This is one of those times.

What exactly is it that I’m struggling with?  A good question.  I wish I had a good answer.

I’ll give it a shot.

I’m concerned because my country is going through a political, social, moral and tradition upheaval.

Every where you look people are mad at other people.  Left against Right.  Conservative versus Liberal.  When does it stop?

Just because someone disagrees with someone else that doesn’t mean they are evil and should be silenced.  Conflict can be a good thing if balanced with reason.

Race against race, politician against politician, right against wrong, traditions against progressivism...the list goes on and on.

Whatever happened to good old common sense?  There are no gray areas.  Either something is right or it is wrong. Decisions should never be based upon emotions.

People don’t know who they are, what they stand for and to make it worse there are those who try to force their beliefs on others.  Worse yet, things escalate into violence.

If you don’t agree with them you’re labeled a racist, homophobe, fascist and the like.

If you don’t know whom you are take a look in a mirror-BINGO, that’s you!

You can clip it, cut it off, trim it, repackage it, change it or fake it-at the end of the day you’re still who were born as-it’s that simple.

My advice is learn to like yourself.  You’re stuck with you the rest of your life and no amount of repackaging can change who you really are.

Get real people!

Whatever happened with people sitting down with each other, discussing things and working out a compromise?  Our politicians should heed that advice.

I’ve lived a long time and I have never seen my country so divided as it has been over the last 11 years.

Moving on.

Why is everything so complicated?

There’s so much paperwork, bureaucratic bs and passing the buck nowadays it makes my head spin.

Just doing a simple thing like paying a bill can get bogged down by needless bureaucracy.

Why are there so many choices?  For example: it used to be when you went to a store to buy, say, a pair of tennis shoes you had, maybe, a dozen choices.

Today.... you can spend a whole day looking through shoes of every design, shape and color.

The same holds true for electronics, medicines, household goods, food, drinks and everything else associated with product purchasing.  It’s getting out of hand.

Is it any wonder people are confused, frustrated and anxious?  No one is ever satisfied with what they have.  Take time to enjoy what God has blessed you with.

Or how about online buying?  I’m sorry, I’m too much of a tire kicker.  I want to see what I’m buying before I purchase it.

Everything is either online, digital, streaming or on a fast track.

If the Internet goes down, half the people in the U.S. will be totally lost and not be able to function.

I taught high school and a large percentage of my students couldn’t balance a checkbook if their lives depended on it.  Few could use a ruler correctly. 

Many could not tell time from an analog clock and most couldn’t write a paper unless they could research it online.  And we know everything online is true-right!

Another thing-everything has a message.  You can’t watch a movie or TV show, read a book or a periodical or even pick up a comic book without being preached to about something-be it political or preferential.  I loath the term “Social Justice Warrior”.

Life has become much too complicated.  We’ve become a generation of people who think far too highly of ourselves and expect far too much from others, the government and our jobs.

It is not the responsibility of others, the education system, work, our government or any other entity to coddle us, provide for us or establish our worth.

It’s time to suck it up and deal with things-be they uncomfortable, inconvenient or challenging.  Build a ladder and get over it!

As I often told my students, “No one owes you anything.  It is up to you to make your life fulfilling and worth something. 

How does the phrase go?  “Life, liberty and the ’pursuit’ of happiness“-not the guarantee