The values aren't totally dead; at least as far as my family is concerned. My girls were taught respect, tolerance, empathy, etc. and have always exhibited those lessons. They are now teaching my grandkids the same. I love seeing a 5-year old using "please" and "thank you" every day, naturally, not forced.
I find that when those lessons are learned at an early age, it is difficult to break away from them. I get myself into difficulties sometimes by showing respect and kindness to others until they prove they don't deserve it.
The world is becoming a sad, sad place, and I fear it will get worse before it gets better.
IMHO - Fear is inherent in every human being. Some learn to deal with it (or at least cope with it). Some never learn. Fear (of being alone, of not understanding that which is not meant to be understood, of having no "direction" in life) is what makes the allure of religion so powerful. Those who appear outwardly to fear absolutely nothing are the most fearful of all.
Religions divide. Even with the power to divide, religions give believers a certain amount of the feelings of belonging and understanding. Those feelings may be false or misleading or misunderstood, but to the believers, those feelings are very real. They help to mask the fear. We all wear masks. Free will, independent thought, and emotions (which only humans possess) make our masks necessary.
It's not ethical to judge anyone, but it is human nature and we're all guilty. The human race will, most likely, not ever evolve far enough to be totally non-judgmental as a whole. We all like to think we work hard at being non-judgmental, but we never truly succeed. The most we're capable of is putting up a non-judgmental front and keeping our true thoughts and feelings to ourselves.
What do I see? I see a graduate of the school of hard knocks. I see a loving soul, a caring heart, wisdom, and great strength. I see a longing to love, a wish for true happiness for those around me, and a desire for purpose.
I also see hints of my mother. But her, I just laugh at, stick my tongue out at her, and walk away. LOL
Many years ago I raised a few hook-bills (parrots) and mostly took in unwanted birds. Had everything from finches and canaries to macaws. Had almost 200 birds on 3 floors of my house. Needless to say, my house was noisy at dawn. I loved it!
IMHO - A greedy minority who care only for themselves is what starts the economic downturn for any country. Add corrupt politicians to the mix, and it gets worse. Our problems could very well have had their beginnings in World War II. The US tried to stay out of the war, and before we even got physically involved in the war, we were "loaning" money to countries all over the world. These loans were probably never repaid. Our total "lending" for WW II? Nearly 49 billion dollars. And that doesn't include the money spent within our own boundaries to finance our own involvement.
Over the decades since that time, our politicians have become more corrupt, the "haves" have gotten more greedy, and there is still little concern for the "have nots". Most can't look at the big picture and realize that without a strong foundation (the "have nots"), no country will be truly stable.
Little Johnny came down for breakfast one morning and excitedly told his mother, "I know how babies are made. I saw Daddy put his willy in your mouth last night."
Mom said, "No, that's not right. That's how I get my expensive jewelry."
Due to the fact that there are different types of love and "love" means different things to each of us depending on the particular circumstances, no one word will suffice for descriptive purposes. It is also possible that a myriad of descriptive terms may not be adequate for some to describe the word.
Almost 13 years ago my pickup was rearended by a tractor/trailer. I ended up with a spinal cord injury and spent 6 years learning how to walk again. You can't really put a dollar value on injuries because the effects can be far-reaching. After all the pain and trauma I lived with (and the trauma my injury caused my family), what I got wasn't nearly enough to compensate.
My attorneys told me that PA isn't known for it's high settlements, but if you live in a big city (or very close to one), the results will be better.
I'm a voracious reader. I still prefer "real" books, but can't afford to indulge my love of them. Also, we no longer have any book stores in my area. Once I discovered ebooks, I was hooked. My ebook library contains several thousand volumes. My reading tastes are quite eclectic, so ebooks provide me with a huge selection. I've been researching ebook readers and have found a nice one that I believe is made by Sony. One of my loves is reading in bed at night. Can't do that with ebooks (for now) unless I'm sitting at my computer. I can't lounge and be comfortable sitting like that and my neck gets stiff, so I'll invest in an ebook reader. When I live near a book store again and when I can afford to indulge once more, I'll return to "real" books.
Never carry a gun unless you're prepared to use it. When I feel the need to carry, I'm fully prepared to use it if the need should arise. If I feel the need to use it, it won't be to "scare" anyone.
My youngest daughter is 25. She'll download a song and tell me to listen. I usually start singing along. She is so surprised sometimes to discover that what she thought was "new" music is the same stuff I enjoyed decades ago.
I rarely eat much of what I cook. But with 5 extra people living in my house right now, I do a lot of cooking. Yesterday I made 20 quarts of soup and this weekend I'll make 20 quarts of chili. I make homemade bread 6 loaves at a time. When I make mashed potatoes, I make 10 pounds for one meal.
OK. I'll admit it. I love animals more than MOST humans. Animals have always been a huge part of my life. I've always had dogs and for more than 20 years I was involved in equine rescue (specialized in blind horses). My animals loved me unconditionally. They didn't expect me to be perfect. Most humans aren't capable of that type of love.
Here's an example of why I love animals so much. When my daughter and my father both died on the same day in 06, it was the animals (horses and dogs) that gave me a reason to live. Without my animals, I would have laid in bed and wasted away. Not one human (family or friend) ever asked me how I was or if I needed anything. I was suddenly invisible. I had no one to talk to but my animals. I spent many hours with my arms wrapped around the neck of my daughter's horse, crying my eyes out. He just stood patiently and listened. I let her dog sleep with me. It was comfort that I needed and certainly wasn't going to get from humans.
About 6 weeks after my daughter died, my husband of 23 years abandoned our family without a word. He simply didn't come home one day. How's that for unconditional love?
If I never find another man to love, I will be content to spend the rest of my life in the company of animals. They won't let me down.
The walls are there for a reason (at least with me). They are a form of self-defense. Life has been a cruel teacher, and I'm a good student. That wall is not solid or permanent. If a man gets to know me and truly wants something more, he'll be willing to help me remove that wall one brick at a time. If he doesn't have the patience and understanding to do that, then he's not the one for me.
My ex didn't have a whining woman. He was home about 6 days a month. During his hours at home he was catered to. I did his laundry, cooked his favorite meals, baked his favorite snacks to take on the road when he left for work again, let him sleep in, provided him with a heated towel after his showers, and kept him supplied with fishing gear and R/C planes so he could relax. I raised our 3 girls, took care of house and yard, maintained our vehicles, did all the barn work, cared for 15 horses and 3 dogs.
I was grateful for his dedication to providing the financial means for our family to have a good life. Our girls and I let him know every chance we got how much we loved and appreciated him. The only breaks I got were when I was hospitalized. Once I got home, the work started again, even after major surgery when I wasn't supposed to do anything.
At that point in my life, it was all a labor of love for my family.
"According to the U.N. Human Development Report of 1995, the annual value of women's unwaged work worldwide is about $11 trillion."
Looks like my ex owes me some back wages for 23 years. I have to agree with him now. He told me many years ago that he could never afford to pay me. He worked (truck driver) while I took care of everything else in our lives.
The process is different for everyone. I choose to look at each "emotional" loss as a learning experience, even if I do not immediately understand what lessons I've learned. I focus my energies on other things. When I find myself thinking maudlin thoughts, I get into something physical to break away from thinking.
Why should the animals adapt to our way of life when it is humans who are imposing on theirs? Just think how things would be if hunting and eating meat were no longer a part of our lives (as some would like to see happen).
Clarion, PA has a festival celebrating the changing of the seasons. It's called the Autumn Leaf Festival. About a quarter-million people pass through town during this week-long festival. There are plane rides to see the foliage, a carnival, street vendors of all kinds, car shows, motorcycle shows, unbelievable food, and a huge parade on the last Saturday. I think Autumn Leaf Festival is coming up soon. It's a good time to be had by all, but a lot of locals stay away from town during that week. Too many people around and we've lived with the festival our entire lives, so it's not a big deal for most of us.
If you help others expecting some form of the same in return, then you are not being genuine in your wishes to help anyone.
I would strongly suggest that you get right with yourself before searching for a love interest. It's best not to intentionally drag others into your problems. Don't rely on others for your own happiness. You are the only one who can make you truly happy. All else is simply illusion; and a dangerous illusion at that!
imsophie1 Forum Posts (501)
Just think how things would be if hunting and eating meat were no longer a part of our lives (as some would like to see happen).
RE: Greetings to one and all
Oh Christmas1. How right you are! There's too much of the not living up to profiles going on. On both sides of the gender fence.