Loving and Cherishing Our Elders

There is not a day that goes by that I do not reminisce on time past. I think of my grandparents and the things they said or done. I think of the precious time that God has extended to my parents to still be here and encouraging and helping in many ways.

Wisdom cannot be bought. I cherish the time they have spent with my daughter and her cousins. Wisdom is a great teacher.

Teaching children to respect all people especially elders will give them a rare quality above their peers that do not have respect for elders or anyone for that matter.

We were taught to say ma'am and sir when speaking to adults. I require the same for my child. My nieces and nephews were taught the same thing but now I see some of them allowing their children to speak to adults in a register that they speak to their peers.This is not welcomed by me.

Respect goes a long way in the eyes of most people. Children are the future and elders are remnants of the past. We have four living generations in my family. My dad the patriarch will be 86 in a couple of days and the youngest is three weeks old. My dad lived in a period where there were no phones, television, and running water and indoor restrooms. My great nephew comes along and there is a television on almost any kind of device. A camera and a recorder in the hands of many 3 and 4 year olds.

We had to really work for our coins when a dollar meant so much when I was young. Now children expect five dollars or more from the tooth fairy, at least twenty dollars for their birthday and they are not ashamed to show displeasure in gifts that are given to them out of love.

This past week I viewed a video on Facebook called 4 year old gangster. I was ashamed to watch it. He used profanity without shame and he swung at his grandmother with all the strength he could muster. I could only think what would have happened to me if I had done that in private, not mentioning in public. It is embarrassing to watch.

Many people say it takes a village to raise a child. I say the parents are responsible. Remember the village idiots. Monitor and discipline your children. Demand respect for yourself and others from your child. Most of all teach them to respect themselves. They and us (parents) will be better off for it. If we as parents model it more than likely they will too.

God Bless and cherish the time.