My parents told me to always be polite.
I grew up with parents that were a little older than all my friends parents. Today parents come in all sorts of ways so they wouldn't be too much out of the norm. But back then it was. They were hard-working and believed if you worked at it you could just possibly meet your goal. Because they were older their childhood was spent growing up during the Great Depression. Maybe it was because of this my parents never took anything for granted and never thought of asking for a hand out. If you wanted anything you saved your extra pennies and bought it. Of course you had bank accounts that actually paid interest so it enticed you to save.
My father hated government and I remember him saying Government will be our downfall. I used to argue the pro and cons with him but in the end he usually won. My dad was a brilliant man but saw the negative side of people. If he knew how right his words were as I write this today. Oh I digress. My mom believed in gratitude and showing it every way possible. She was the most positive being I have personally known. I am sure it is why I believe these times will prove a blessing and not the end of this country or world. She would insist you always say thank you and you are welcome with meaning. They are not just words to say otherwise don't say them and to this day when I use them I mean them. Their life lessons showed me to question everything and see the darkness always shining a light into it so you can find the gratitude for all the things that come your way, even the bad. It is gratitude that brings forth hope.
I do not know why some people have lost their way. When I hear the stories about young adults and children forming mobs to steal a small piece of me dies falling away into the darkness where there is no hope. It is an empty existence. What kind of pain do these people live with and the despair so heavy to carry? What can I do to make a change? What can we all do?
My answer to me is to follow my true self. Be grateful and mean what I say. Stand up for my ideas and thoughts, never wavering as my parents taught me and theirs taught them. Work hard and if it isn't working make the corrections you need and work harder. So many times I hear moms' words ring out "nothing worth having comes easy" or "don't worry everything comes out in the wash".
Life is a challenge and the universe is testing us. Do we allow chaos to rule or do we follow what we all know is true. Instead of taking a picture of the insanity take the phone and call for order, the police. Or be a voice and yell STOP I have called for help. I think there are more people thinking like myself. It takes one voice to wake them out of non-reaction. I like to think I would be the one to yell STOP and in my youth I did. I hope age hasn't made me fearful and uncaring. Instead a sage of some wisdom, a shaman, or a healer lending my healing energy out into the universe. Connecting to like energies and battling back the darkness with light and hope and above all LOVE for all. Even my enemies.
Maybe it all flows back to simply saying thank you and you are welcome with intention, really meaning what you say.
