Virginia
Age 86
A woman who makes you feel at home and important as she asked us probably more questions than we presented to her. May we learn to be good at asking questions.
"Parents indulge their children creating children who grow up indulging themselves. Common manners, respect, and a general sense of gratefulness seem to be lacking. We are contributing to a society who demands for themselves rather than a society who gives of themselves.
“Children have been given the status of #1. Anything they say goes. There seems to be an air of disrespect, rudeness, and disregard being generated.
“Even a lack of appreciation of the United States. America is a country that has spelled freedom. This generation doesn’t know the fullness of the word freedom, and how the U.S. became a refuge for so many of us. We should be educating the people about the U.S., it’s geography, its history, the english language and the beautiful opportunity that exists here. When our families came to America we were safe at last. We should never forget and continue to appreciate where we live with an attitude of respect.
“A general respect of others, America and even of ourselves has been lost. We’ve lowered our own morality; everything is out in the open, nothing is private any more, nothing is hidden."
“Everything is so changed. With the pace of technology we need to remember to teach basic common sense, good manners, self control, and a healthy respect."
Relevant Quotes
Sayings that get your mind moving...
One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on the trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip the father asked his son, “How was the trip?” “It was great, dad.” “Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked. “Oh, yeah,” said the son. “So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father. The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them.” Then his son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.” The boy’s father was speechless. Isn’t perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don’t have.
My father taught me that only through self-discipline can you achieve freedom. Pour water in a cup and you can drink it. Without the cup, the water would splash all over. The cup is discipline.
What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste, that they hurry past it.
Never threaten a child. Either punish him or forgive him.