In the last few days I have been watching the news. While, for years, there has been a recurring theme to each and every person who gets caught doing something they shouldn't. Today takes the cake!
People steal manhole covers because of the tough economic times. People shoot other people because the victim made them mad. And this morning, the so-called "barefoot bandit" would not have chosen a life of crime if he had not come from a broken home.
Strange, when I was growing up, you did bad stuff because you chose to do bad stuff. I am amazed at how we not only look for a 'reason' why people do bad things, but how willing we are to accept those 'reasons'. As if the person had no choice but to do bad things.
If kids fail in school, it must be because the teacher is no good. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the kids choice to not do the homework or study or to even apply themselves. Nothing to do with the absent parent who could care less about their child's education, but just glad that they are off the street for a few hours and out of their hair!
I've been sitting here for the past five minutes, staring at the screen trying my best to come up with some profound statement that would make a difference. Some words, that when put together, would somehow make people see that we all have choices. Some are just easier than others. But I realize, that in today's society, we don't want tough choices. We are becoming a nation of entitlement. We are 'owed' a stress free life without problems and tribulations. We should not have to make those tough choices.
It reminds me of a story I once read about a beautiful butterfly.
"Struggle is Good! I Want to Fly!
Once a little boy was playing outdoors and found a fascinating caterpillar. He carefully picked it up and took it home to show his mother. He asked his mother if he could keep it, and she said he could if he would take good care of it.
The little boy got a large jar from his mother and put plants to eat, and a stick to climb on, in the jar. Every day he watched the caterpillar and brought it new plants to eat.
One day the caterpillar climbed up the stick and started acting strangely. The boy worriedly called his mother who came and understood that the caterpillar was creating a cocoon. The mother explained to the boy how the caterpillar was going to go through a metamorphosis and become a butterfly.
The little boy was thrilled to hear about the changes his caterpillar would go through. He watched every day, waiting for the butterfly to emerge. One day it happened, a small hole appeared in the cocoon and the butterfly started to struggle to come out.
At first the boy was excited, but soon he became concerned. The butterfly was struggling so hard to get out! It looked like it couldn’t break free! It looked desperate! It looked like it was making no progress!
The boy was so concerned he decided to help. He ran to get scissors, and then walked back (because he had learned not to run with scissors…). He snipped the cocoon to make the hole bigger and the butterfly quickly emerged!
As the butterfly came out the boy was surprised. It had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. He continued to watch the butterfly expecting that, at any moment, the wings would dry out, enlarge and expand to support the swollen body. He knew that in time the body would shrink and the butterfly’s wings would expand.
But neither happened!
The butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
It never was able to fly…
As the boy tried to figure out what had gone wrong his mother took him to talk to a scientist from a local college. He learned that the butterfly was SUPPOSED to struggle. In fact, the butterfly’s struggle to push its way through the tiny opening of the cocoon pushes the fluid out of its body and into its wings. Without the struggle, the butterfly would never, ever fly. The boy’s good intentions hurt the butterfly.
As you go through school, and life, keep in mind that struggling is an important part of any growth experience. In fact, it is the struggle that causes you to develop your ability to fly.
As instructors our gift to you is stronger wings… "
While that story is not exactly like the one I remember, it is close enough to get the point. (the above link will take you to the actual posting of the story.)
I was always told, that struggles are what bring out your true self. Everyone has hardships and trials. How you choose to deal with those things is what shows the type of person you really are.
My parents were born during the great depression. My grandparents lost almost everything they owned. They had tough times. There were times when they really didn't know where the next meal was coming from, and they had a lot of mouths to feed. Never once did they think, I'll just go get a gun and rob the grocery store for food. They worked hard, prayed a lot, and stayed together as a family and made do with what they had.
All I can hope for is that me and my family will never be confronted by someone with a gun who had a bad childhood, is feeling the effects of the bad economy, or is being forced into a life of crime by 'outside forces'.
Nini
1 comment:
I couldn't agree with you more. Unfortunately, we are now becoming the minority. End times my friend...is all I keep saying. It all just breaks my heart.
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