Sunday, September 23, 2007

Lessons Learned

Life sends lots of lessons our way. Ideally, we learn from those lessons so we don't have to keep repeating the past. Life's lessons come in all sizes, all degrees. If we learn from these lessons and grow in wisdom, we can mentor and share support with those going through the same lesson. There is no substitute for experience!

'Don't talk to strangers' 'Lock the doors' 'Put on your seat belt' 'Do unto others...' 'Love like there's no tomorrow' 'Get gas before you run out' (hehe!) 'Don't stop at the Bates Hotel' (ok now I'm being silly) 'Don't judge a book by it's cover' 'Follow your instincts about men' 'If you think they are bad, they probably are' 'Don't spoil the kids, dogs' 'You are what you eat' (OY!) and so on!

Those are the little ones, but are important.

Then there are bigger ones - like trusting strangers, watching out who are your friends, watch the circle you keep. Those can start innocent and you think you're having fun, but before you know it you are into drugs and/or something that you can't easily escape. These days people like that don't let you just "leave"; it's hard and you can find yourself trapped or hurt or worse.

It's unfortunate that the world isn't a wholesome, trusting place as it once was. I grew up in a time when innocence was passing and the result is this world today. It's not all bad, don't get me wrong, but it has changed alot since my parents lifetime. There seems to be more crimes, more child abuse, more child predators, more murders, more drugs, more government in our lives, more fear, more caution, more more more.

You can't let your children go play alone, ride bikes all day, run around i nthe woods (well, there's no woods in SoCali), but you get the drift. We used to get up in the morning, walk to school, cut through the woods to get to school, hang out with our friends, play until dark and I don't think my mom knew exactly where I was - she had an idea. Today, you have to know where your kids are, who they are with, you have to drive them everywhere, you can't let them just go out and play. It's terrible.

I want to go back to a simpler time. Live where there's lots of trees, farms, peace, quiet, families and friends. Hope to be going back to Ohio soon..............lesson learned: California is a GREAT place to visit, but Ohio is a WONDERFUL place to live.

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