Principles

George Benson wrote

“Great ideals and principles do not live from generation to generation just because they are right, nor even because they have been carefully legislated. Ideals and principles continue from generation to generation only when they are built into the hearts of the children as they grow up.”

Yesterday I spoke of discipline and how different the world appears to be today from yesteryear. Since the 1960’s our society has gradually become a two income family. As my mother frequently says the only winner in this paradigm is the federal government with the added income tax. We are a society of instant gratification and our children have suffered for it. As a consequence of mothers going out to work there is little doubt that not all the morals and principles that she wishes to convey to her children are instilled in them. Parents wish their children to have these values but how easy it is to forget the bed time stories, the formal dinner time and the games night in the haste to get home to housework, homework, hockey games and what have you.

My concern is that there doesn’t seem to be enough opportunity for some parents to build ideals and principles into their children’s hearts consequently they may be lacking strong moral fibre. I tremble for a society that seems to be losing the strength of our forefathers to withstand hardship. It seems today we medicate rather than overcome and that cannot build character.

Wouldn’t a solid family life where parents actually communicate with their children go a long way to create understanding, manners and values? This world just seems too fast, so instant that it is hard to keep pace with everything; I say just breathe, get off that frantic wheel you are treading on and think about what you really want for yourself and your family.

Carpe diem, my friends, carpe diem.