What Will You Leave Behind?

It's hard to focus on the meaning of this question as it appears there are many people who could care less.

But it begs to be asked.

'What legacy will you leave your children?"

In today's culture poverty leads to unwed mothers, absent fathers, drugs and crime.

An abyss of despair, a culture of perpetual denial that feeds on itself, with those involved continually pointing the finger at others for where they happen to be in life, right now.

What ever happened to responsibility?  What ever happened to respect?

Seventy years ago, this country was just coming out of horrors of World War II.

During the war wives and mothers, had to go to work to help the war effort by building liberty ships.

Husbands, fathers and brothers had to leave their families to fight against an evil that was encroaching rapidly across the world as Adolf Hitler and his henchmen dug their heels in for the long haul.    

Many of these men never returned to enjoy what they sacrificed for.

We had poverty back then but it didn't end up with fathers and mothers abrogating their responsibilities to their children or to one another.

Poverty wasn't about crime and drug use.

Back then, poverty (or being poor) was a normal way of life.

Children's 'supper' was a piece of bread doused in milk.

They had to get up early in the morning to do farm chores, before they went to school.

Then came home to finish their chores and do school work.

Life was hard but nobody noticed, nobody complained.

Houses had no running water, no electricity, no air conditioning.

There was no crime but only for a few minor offenses which were few and far between.

Nobody smoked dope or stuck needles in their arms or felt sorry for themselves.

No one criticized others or pointed fingers at their lot in life or engaged in violent crime because they were vengeful.

Back then we were taught that there are checks and balances in life and to take responsibility for your decisions and resultant actions.  

Hard work was not a sign of weakness but an avenue toward achievement and being able to better oneself.

Today these virtues of discipline, responsibility and hard work are under attack.  

The mention of someone going to work, in lieu of government handouts and having the discipline to get up in the morning and meet a deadline, staying on the job and trying to make something of themselves is labeled with some disparaging term.    

Another contributing factor, I believe, to our moral demise, is our educational system.

It is in desperate need of repair and overhaul.

Mankind has always been seduced by its own weaknesses with those shadowy figures eagerly waiting to pounce and grab their prey, wanting only to perpetuate the misery.    

Generations of hard working Americans were called forth to make a difference in the world and, as a result, affording you opportunities in your life they would never experience.

It is because of them that you are able to live your life in freedom.

It is only because they willingly forfeited their lives that you are able to make the decision to either raise yourselves up or drag yourselves down.

I only hope their legacy will not be squandered because you squandered yours.