This crazy life...

Life in all its craziness and splendor, contains lessons that many of us miss.

As a child, we struggle to identify ourselves. We do what we are told, are taught what to think, what is appropriate and some are taught respect. Then as we grow up, and face real life...we find that the majority of what we were told really has no bearing on real life. We are thrown into a world that is harsh, unfair, cruel, and even hurtful. We are spoon fed information from media outlets, political leaders, and even family. Yet, we are completely unprepared when something goes wrong. We take example from our peers, of this time, and find someone to point fingers at, instead of taking responsibility for our lives.

As a child of the last baby boomer generation, I have seen so much. My generation of children was brought up with more "stuff" than we needed, a school system that was beginning to change from actually learning to being told what to think, believing that bigger is better and keeping up with the "Jones'" was normal. In my generation, I have seen the constant building of storage units to house all the "stuff" there isn't room for in the house. I have seen the shift in mentality about hard work being the key to the American dream, instead it has become a deal of every one thinks they are owed something. Neighborhoods went from communities where everyone watched each others kids, to not knowing who your neighbors were. When bullies weren't protected, they were punished. When children had respect for their family, instead of complete disregard. When it was encouraged to play outdoors with other children, instead of sitting in front of a television or video game. When hero's were our parents and the military members. When you knew if you misbehaved, you would be spanked or grounded.

I can remember being one of the first houses in our neighborhood to have a microwave or VCR or Atari. We thought we were something special! Now, children believe they are owed everything, and won't do much without payment of some sort. There is no such thing as just doing something to help a neighbor or family member. I can remember going to one set of my grandparents home, and being envious. They didn't live in the greatest or most modern home. It was always so full of love. When you walked into their home, it was warm and inviting. They always took in the strays, those who didn't have anywhere else to go. Those strays were just added to the family. Grandma was always full of valuable, real-life advice. She was always the one that would give you hug just because she thought you needed one. She was a lady that raised children, worked on the farm, gardened, and had a heart so big that she had enough love for everyone and everything. She based her life on caring for her family, feeding her soul, and caring for even the smallest little creatures. She was an amazing woman. I can only hope to be showing that much love to everyone in our lives.

As I have gotten older, I am finding my thoughts and the direction I want our lives to go, to be going back to that of my grandparents instead of my parents. I want my children to understand the value of hard work, to understand that they are not owed anything, I don't want them being envious of what others have but instead be willing to work hard to achieve the same, I want them to understand the pride that goes into being part of a community, helping others even when they can never return the favor. I want them to understand that you don't need a bunch of "stuff," to be happy. Knowing that the greatest gifts we receive are the gifts you can't buy at a store. I want them to know that it's ok to think for themselves and not just be told what to think. I want the kids growing up with old fashioned values, and morals.

While we do try to live our lives simply, on occasion, the outside world is brought into our world. While I think those times are valuable learning experiences, we notice the change in each other when too many of those times come too close together. We don't shelter our kids, but we do look at life differently than most! We put our family first. We don't live to work. We work to live. Our family talks about everything...as a family. We share experiences, thoughts, and opinions. Even our 3 year old is allowed to voice opinions. We do not degrade or down-play their thoughts or opinions. Although we may not always agree with their thoughts, they are respected. Our kids have learned that it's ok to cry, to share emotions, and that there is no such thing as gender specifics. Our son has tea parties with his sister, has learned to cook, and is learning to sew. Our daughter plays with farm toys, helps with the farm chores, and isn't afraid of being dirty. By teaching our kids at home, we are able to show them the importance of learning instead of forcing them to learn. We are instilling the love of learning. Every single day there is so much to learn from so many different sources.

As we celebrate Christmas in our home, we look forward to starting a new year. I wish each of you a Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years.
~S~