Our Younger Generation: Is it Any Wonder?

I wonder, why are we so astonished when young people act selfishly and with total disregard for their fellow citizens when politicians and leaders do the very same thing, all the time?  Why should we expect anything different form our youth if our own politicians are greedy, selfish, and self-centered?

I don’t normally delve into discussing politics.  It’s not that I don’t care or that I don’t have an opinion, as I definitely do on both accounts.  I simply don’t believe politicians alone can or will make any significantly positive changes for our country.  I believe “we, the people” are the only ones that can change our nation by changing hearts and lives on a much more personal level.

That being said, I just might be dipping a toe, or maybe two, ever so lightly into the realm of politics today.
 

I read recently a post by Lanterns’ own Jonathon Dunne. On Facebook Jonathon wrote the following:

“I am confused about some of my friends on the right and their actions over the last few months and especially last 48 hours.

I am used to the "right" being the party of less taxes. Yet over the last 48 hours I have seen more posts in joy about this 20% tariff on Mexico...

Since when is the problem in America that there are not enough taxes for the ordinary people to pay. Since when is the problem that the government does not take enough revenue?

I am also troubled about the amount of people who think this is a tax on Mexico. It is not!!! It is a tax on the American people and a tax each of you will pay if you buy Mexican products.

PS. For those of you who read this post and think - Oh there goes John again with anti-Trump hate. Please know you are wrong.

I know why Trump wants it... My concern is why YOU are supporting it."

My first reaction to Jonathon's post about the 20% tariff on Mexico was to believe that our politicians will likely support this because "they can't think beyond their own wallets."  But then something else came to my mind.  I replied to Jonathon's comment saying, “and people are astonished when our youth are selfish and self-centered? Oh what a mess we have!"
Please understand I'm not speaking of all politicians or all the youth in our country.  I know there are politicians who care about our country and her citizens.  I know there are wonderful, intelligent, and kind youth in our country.  I'm very proud to include my grandchildren and other youth that I know personally in that group of young people who are not selfish or self-centered, who are respectful, caring, and giving.

Unfortunately, just like the politicians who "can't think beyond their own wallets," there are also too many young people who can't see beyond their own immediate wants or their misguided beliefs.  They listen only to the slanted media and political activists who want only one thing, to destroy our country and our way of life.  They riot and protest, and they seem to think violence is the solution to getting what they want. This is not that different from a 2-year-old throwing a tantrum.

 


FYI, this is not anything new.  These types of protests started back in the 60's.  For example, UC Berkely is the site of more than one of these protests, where then California Governor Reagan had to call in the National Guard. 

I don't have a problem with a peaceful protest. Sometimes protesting is a necessary step to change, but violent protests don't solve or change anything.  They only cause more violence.
Back to problem at hand, bad behavior from our youth. Why do we need to fix this problem? 

That question is easy to answer: These young people will be our politicians and leaders of the future.

But how do we fix this problem? 

Consequences. Obviously we have to have consequences for our actions, at 2 years old throwing a tantrum, at 20 years and protesting on campus or in the streets, and at 40 years old as politician or leader that doesn’t look out for the best interests of those they are responsible to and for.  Consequences. But that is another subject for another day, and I shouldn't even have to go there.

There's another equally important part to solving this behavior problem: Our young people need to be reached on a more personal level.  We cannot depend on the government, politicians, political activists, schools or, in some cases, not even their parents to show our young people what acceptable behavior looks like.  It comes right back to what I said earlier: If we want to change their lives, we have to change their hearts.  Then we will change the people and change our country.

It starts with us.

Do I have all the answers? No. I can only do what I can do. You can only do what you can do. But that's how it starts. One word, one act of kindness, one heart, one life, one person at a time. Truthfully, it won't happen overnight. It will take time, and patience and kindness and truth!
What are we waiting for? Let's start changing some hearts!

 More articles like this can be found @www.lanterns.buzz

Enough IS Enough!

When is "Enough" a good thing?  Most of us had heard this more than once, "Enough is enough!"  It's not usually said in a nice way,  But I'm here to tell you today, sometimes Enough IS Enough, and it's a good thing!
There's a line from one of my favorite movies, Mom's Night Out, where Bones,  (played by Trace Adkins), and Allison, (played by Sarah Drew) are sitting in the dark in the jail house. She is stressing about "being enough" for everyone.
Talking about watching an eagle raising her eaglets on a social media site, Bones said, "It's a beautiful thing to watch one of God's creations just doing what He made it to do. Just being an eagle, and that's enough. Y'all spend so much time beating yourselves up, it must be exhausting, I doubt the good Lord made a mistake giving your kids the mama He did, so you just be you. He'll take care of the rest."
I have to say, I started crying after I heard this. I have always worried about not "being enough" for everyone.  As Bones was trying to say, sometimes we are our own worst judge.
And yes, sometimes, others judge us, but we also do as much damage to ourselves -- until we wake up, until we begin to heal from being a codependent person.  According to Lisa A. Romano, life coach, mentor, and bestselling author, "You are enough no matter what anyone else thinks or believes."
Lisa also has many excellent videos on YouTube to help people identify and recover from codependency. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
 
One of the symptoms of  codependency is that a person doesn't feel like they count, they feel invisible, like they're not enough. As you can probably tell by now, I've recently been reading a lot about codependency and one of the things I'm learning is that "I am enough."
But I don't mean that in a bragging kind of way. Think of it this way: For the last few years (?) we've had "political correctness" shoved down our throats.  You can't say this, she can't say that, and don't forget to hold your p's & q's so we don't offend anyone.  And just FYI, I'm not picking sides here. That's not what this is about. I'm just trying to explain something.
It's the same thing a person who is codependent does, they don't express their thoughts or feelings so they can keep the peace, not offend.  Codependents are taught throughout their childhood experiences they are "not enough" or that they're invisible without someone's approval. So, they "be quiet and be good" to avoid any negative repercussions and get their desperately craved approval.
We, as a nation, have been taught that the correct behavior is to be politically correct, to not upset the apple cart. We're taught that our opinions are not wanted, not valuable, and not enough.  Codependents are taught the same thing.  Be nice, be good, "don't upset the apple cart!" Don't share your feelings, don't have feelings, etc.
WRONG WRONG WRONG!
I am, however, tired of this P.C nonsense.  I'm tired of being told I'm not enough.  My opinion and my feelings are just as important and valuable as anyone's. And yours are too!  I'm also tired of the main stream media portraying anyone who has a differing opinion as psycho, a "right wing terrorist," or as being afflicted with some kind of phobia!  These things are the same things that narcissists say to codependents. "You're nuts." "What's wrong with you?" Or "are you off your meds again?" and a thousand other little digs and innuendos.  Webster's Dictionary defines a narcissist as is "a person who is overly concerned with his or her own desires, needs, or interests."
In Darlene Lancer's book, Codependency For Dummies, she explains the following about codependency:

"Codependency is much more widespread than originally thought. You don’t even have to be in a relationship. Codependents have trouble accepting themselves, so they hide who they are to be accepted by someone else."

Lancer elaborates on codependency on her website:

 "Codependency is sneaky and powerful. You may not be aware that it’s the root cause of problems in your relationship. Does your marriage or relationship take up your thoughts and energy? Are you unhappy but unable to leave? If you answered yes, you may be codependent. Many codependents believe their happiness depends upon another person, a relationship, or finding Mr. or Mrs. Right. That focuses your thinking and behavior around someone you can’t control. This is codependency. You react to something external, rather than your internal cues. Addicts are codependent, too. Their lives revolve around their addiction – be it food, work, drugs, or sex."

Since when are our feelings, our opinions, our thoughts, our voices not enough?!  As a human being, I for one have decided my opinion and my voice will be heard.  I have decided, "I am enough." I'm enough for me.  I'm enough for my Heavenly Father. He created me, after all, and He doesn't make mistakes!
Maybe it's my personal "aha" moments I've been having or maybe it's just time.  All I know is that it's ok to have a different opinion, it's ok to have feelings, and it's ok for me to be me.  And guess what: that means it's ok for you to be you!  Let's stand up together and Be Enough!
I like what Lisa Romano says in the following quote. It sums up where I'm at right now.

"When I stopped believing I needed other peoples approval and validation, I could finally hear the whispers of my own soul."

"Enough is Enough" can also be found @ Lanterns Buzz