Our next generation

Let me see if I get this right! Most of you know me. I’m not a die-hard left-wing tree hugging snowflake just about as much as I am not a right-wing neo-Nazi skin-head fanatic…! I’m somewhere in between, on most all issues, and that includes my philosophies, nature and just about all other everyday events or issues. You won’t find me marching to save the worlds trees in order to highlight our grossly exaggerated carbon emissions. I don’t believe we should presume to have the abilities to effect global-this or global- that. On the other hand, you won’t catch me dumping oil into our streams and into the air intentionally, but I will drive a boat or car which has the ability to release contaminants into the water and air. I will also eat steak, perhaps this is my way of helping to control the excess flatulence a cow or two, who indecently produce and release more methane gas than CO2 emissions my boat or car ever will. Mother Nature’s wrath, when she pollutes or her ability to clean the environment, is unsurpassable, by us – always has been, always will! In fact, Mother Nature ultimately controls us more than we will ever be able to control her. She has the power to dump massive amounts of toxins into the atmosphere on her own, at will! She also has had the ability to reverse her eco system! About the only single event that I believe we can do to affect our world is by lighting all the fuses on all of our nuclear weapons – even then she will be able to fix herself, naturally it will be minus us! I also don’t believe I have the ability or power to control other people’s thoughts and ideals; those are only controllable by each of us. About the only thing I can control is me, myself and I - solely! All other things will happen regardless of my input, output or throughput! Why do I say this? Well, events or two occurred recently have had me rethinking or perhaps has reshaped my philosophy about the kids we are raising today! As you most know, I am in my 60s, and looking to scale back on physical labor. Yesterday I was at Home Depot and had several heavy and bulky items to load into the back of my truck. Right beside me, pulls a car with four young males, between the ages of 18 and 25, inside. They get out of the car and notice me and my very heavy load of items! So how did I get from a global to a Home Depot perspective, you may ask! Well, from here on out is where you have to rely on your own philosophies, nature and everyday events and issues to conclude what they did or [you] would do and react to their choices! (Ponder at your leisure or forget this diatribe). I was taught by my parents to respect elders, to say thank you, to help those in need and a host of other valuable lessons or manners that have carried me through life. Whether I choose to follow them, however, is my choice. Regardless of what they/we were taught, believed, trained or otherwise gained in our lives; choices have to be made each and every day of our lives that may affect us and others! Some choices merely produce little ripples in life and others produce significant fissures in the fabric of our human existence!