“Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world
together.”
I wonder how many people admire
rule breakers, or are inspired by them. At times we perceive them as
courageous. The truth is they are seekers of a moment of fame. Recognizing what
fame is helps us to understand who deserves it. There will never be any mention
of those people who deserve a bit of fame for taking care of their neighbors.
Such people watch out for them when the wife is left alone when her husband is
on a business trip. Kindness is when an older woman is left widowed and has a
house to shovel out or a yard to clean. Kindness is when a neighbor gets a
prescription for a sick neighbor. These people are not all friends; they just
care about a fellow human being. That is altruistic. They are not looking for
anything in return nor do they expect anything in return.
These people who get up every day and go to work for the sake of the family are the famous people. These
are the ones media should be focusing on. They make the difference in people’s
lives. How many people volunteer time and commitment to others? This goes
unnoticed. What we read about,in newspapers and on radios is what is sensationalized. what make headlines and what gets a person on
television is being a rule breaker. The person who allows their child to talk back
to a teacher because they got their feelings hurt will be all over the news.
The person who allowed their child to hold onto the wheel of the car even
though the child was underage will be front headlines. The people who kill
others because of a job loss or broken heart will have their story printed
across the country. What happened to doing the right thing just because it is the
decent thing to do? Why do we not give thoughtful hard working people the same acknowledgement and moment of fame? The altruistic
people will be gone because we are valuing something far different.
We must encourage our children
to help for the sake of helping. Many times there is a price tag attached. We are not teaching our children to take
responsibility of a duty and complete it without a lot of praise. Some kids and adults take no accountability for their destructive attitudes and actions. Most of us
live by the directives, pay me and I’ll do it. Yet there are real heroes all around
us. How we began honoring sports heroes and television celebrities while disregarding the men and women who give of themselves continually is ludicrous. Although there are many in sports that
live good lives there are just as many who seek the limelight and without
scrutiny, are offered up as a role model. The problem is at times they have little to
offer regarding ethics.
If media continues to give these
people even a moment of fame, we will continue to witness the eye catching
exploits of those with less than desirable morals. Maybe it is time to refer to
the rule book and give praise where it is deserved. I know when we die we will
all reap what we have sown. If we chase after elusive people and tenuous items we
may find ourselves in a place that is not so beautiful. It may be time to teach
our children the power of just being an honorable person. Teach our children
the importance of doing something for no repay. The person who will let you
pick the first donut, share the last cup of coffee in the pot, help you finish
shoveling, and drive you to work when your car broke down, volunteer at soup
kitchens, collect money for a charity, volunteer on a fire department is the real hero only he or she doesn’t know
it. Stop idolizing the rule breakers, and those that really care more about
themselves and their glory and money. Ask yourself this question, if you needed
help which person would you want standing beside you.
“Not in the clamor of the crowded
street, nor in the shouts and plaudits of the throng, bit in ourselves are
triumph and defeat.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
