Pride

Pride

Do you know what is lacking in this country? It is pride! By pride I don’t mean an exaggerated high opinion of yourself. I don’t mean an arrogance that allows you to think that you are better then someone else and act that way.

What I have in mind is satisfaction in a job well done. We have lost that pleasure. Our kids think that if they just bother to show up at work they “deserve” a pay check.

Maybe it was because we saw how hard the depression was on our folks, followed by a horrible World War 2 and we just wanted our kids to have a chance to be kids. They weren’t expected to do chores or help around the house. We were proud of our kids and supported them in everything they did, Maybe we went too far. When I was in school, if I got into trouble there, worse was waiting for me at home. If our kids caused trouble in school it was the teacher’s fault and we were ready to sue the school system to prove it.

We gave our kids everything, designer clothes, electronics, their own radios, phones and TVs and lots of freedom to try new things, some very dangerous things. Partly, I think we spoiled them, because of guilt for keeping our good paying job after the war and making them latch-key kids. We compensated by giving them things.

Could this lack of pride in our offspring be the reason so many of our son’s “babies mommas” are on welfare and our daughters are so ready and willing to move in with this months “boyfriend”?

Of course one size shoe doesn’t fit every foot. There are many, many reasons why our America is declining into a third world country. But lack of pride is high on the list. Don’t you agree?

It doesn’t help that jobs are out sourced to foreign countries and our government offers food stamps for the family and free breakfast and lunch for school children whose working parents don’t make enough to live on. Pride goes out the window when hunger growls and pride shouldn’t stop you from accepting what you need.

The old ways were not always right. It wasn’t right for a family to banish a female for an unwed pregnancy because “What will the neighbors think”? That is the time she needs the love and support of her family the most. However, the government has taken a stand against the family when an unwed mother can collect on each illegitimate child, while a family must live on the same earned income regardless of the number of addition to the family.

You don’t need expensive designer clothes to dress attractively. Self-confidence and self-assurance goes a long way in making you charming and nice to be around. Be proud of your accomplishments, your home, your work, your life.

And don’t let the government take that pride away from you by taking your freedom away from you bit by bit with the offer of false security.

512 words Loretta Ellen Edwards