By average ages, I’m entering the 4th quarter of my life. The first quarter was the citizens of our country still celebrating the WWII victory and patriotism was very strong. In school, we said the pledge of allegiance every day. When something happened and the flag was lowered to half mast, the school went outside and observed it happening, understanding why it was being done.
Then came the national rejection of the Viet Nam war and it was led by late teens about to be drafted and slightly older. Much of the nation worked against them but, in the end…they were right. This event began the decline of what I witnessed as patriotism and also the decline of racism. It was the so called liberation of women but in reality it was the destruction of the stay at home mother and the beginning of a two paycheck family unit. This one change, has changed much in our country.
During my second quarter…life was busy. I finished school, got married, started my own family and simply worked my butt off providing for and guiding my children into adulthood. The world was changing but my values had not. My children have love for their country, fellow man and God.
During the third quarter, I’ve observed my children finish their schooling, begin their careers and start their families. I have kept working, applying what I’ve learned along the way and pursued the American dream. It’s a difficult path that requires dedication, focus, patience and perseverance but it can be done. The obstacles are immense but what it isn’t, are the manufactured lies that it’s impossible for all due to racism or some other bull feces. Life is difficult…period and the more you choose to take on, the more balls you attempt to juggle, the more difficult it is.
Now I’m entering the 4th quarter and it’s a different but very cool time in one’s life. I’m now a grandfather. I’ve taught the next generation the skills necessary to be a professional in our line of work and am in the process of turning over more and more of my responsibilities to them. It’s exciting watching them mature professionally plus manage their personal lives, raising their families.
What I find scary though, are all of those coming up through life, that didn’t have parents dedicated to them, lovingly guiding them into adulthood, along the path of education so that they could pursue their American dream. Instead these same are being told lies and provided excuses for their failures that are simply due to their own choices in life, that mostly happen because their parents did not prepare them. I’m witnessing narcissism increase to the point of where the country is evolving from “we the people”, into “me the people”. This is a path to our country’s destruction if “we” do not change our course? As I listen to what’s being propagated by the MSM, I also have a life’s history to remember from, that disputes what’s being said as truth. Now with the addition of social media, the process is accelerating at an accelerating rate and so many are blind to what’s happening.
I now understand a portion of God’s plan. As we age and hopefully mature, we make mistakes along the way. If you’re trying hard and giving your best efforts, there will be many mistakes but…if you learn from those mistakes and don’t repeat them, as you age, you become wiser and the purpose is for the 3rd generation to teach the 1st by your actions and words. I’m not worried for myself or my wife but I am worried for my grandchildren and the youth of our country. Our moral compass has drifted and as a result, I’m witnessing a lot of pain in our youth. Consider the violence of inner cities that’s a direct result of parents not fulfilling their responsibilities. This truth, is rippling out across our country and if this doesn’t change, our USA as “we” have known it, will evolve from the ability to pursue the American dream, into trying to escape the American nightmare. I will continue on giving my God, my country, my family and my fellow Americans…my very best efforts but this is my personal warning for all.
