“The Greatest Generation” are people who grew up in a time of war, poverty, change, opposition, segregation and humble strength. These are people who learned how to benefit from nothing, strive for better, accept their shortcomings and soar beyond expectations. People of this generation saw our country at its lowest of lows and found a way to break through the devastation and fight honorably for their success.
I almost wish I could have been born in this generation. Then maybe, just maybe, I would appreciate life more, believe in GOD more wholeheartedly, have faith in people easier and appreciate life’s great miracles without caution.
My generation, and products of my generation (the microwave kids) don’t understand what it is to struggle, to fight for civil rights, to want for things, to appreciate things or to dream beyond expectations. They are so used to just being given things, never earning them, that they don’t know what it’s like to have nothing. And maybe they should.
I hate that my child lives in a “give me” society. Where Play Stations, Under Armor clothes, iPads, Netflix and YouTube standards define thier lifestyle. Where it’s assumed that they will have the best of things no matter the sacrifice of their parents.
Where “keeping up with the Jones’. ” is nothing compared to “Keeping up with the Kardashians”. Where getting kids to put down the gaming controller or Roku remote is a challenge and basketball goals and trampolines rust in the rain.
Forgive me if I miss the “Good Ole Days” where we ran loose in the streets, came in when the street lights came on, did chores, cried when our little league team didn’t win (because we didn’t get a participation trophy), said please and thank you because it was the respectable thing to do and we didn’t expect things, we earned them.
As for “The Greatest Generation”, their sacrifice, their deprivation, their need, their hopes and their dreams we not for this….. for what we have now. They wanted so much simpler things for future generations. I can guarantee you they didn’t think that their sacrifice would translate to the sense of privilege we see today.
Stop teaching your kids to expect things. Teach them to earn them. Teach them respect, honor and the value of hard work. Otherwise….. what will they teach their children?
Don’t let what our family members sacrificed to be tainted by our inability to stand up to our children. They earned their take back then, we need to make our kids earn theirs too.
Stop giving them awards when they don’t earn them, stop rewarding them for deeds they don’t do, stop praising them for being mediocre, stop telling them it’s okay not to try.
Encourage them to be more, read them stories of actual heroes, not ones from blockbuster movies.
Have them spend time with someone from “The Greatest Generation”. Maybe their spirit will rub off on them. Maybe we can recreate a great generation of our own.
Great Imperfections 