I've been thinking a great deal lately about my life. Maybe it's because in two months I'll be turning sixty-six years old. I realize, that by today's standards, that's not old, but for someone born with heart disease, it is. About a year ago, I read a book, who's author was also a York Catholic High School graduate. I didn't know him personally, as he was about five or six years younger than me.
The book was a gift, to me, from the librarian of YCHS. This man's Father passed away from cardiac disease when he was still quite young. It told the son's story of how he never really knew his Father, because he was only about 13 when his Dad passed. He went on to say how as he grew up and later after marrying, he became very health conscious. He exercised regularly and both he and his wife ate healthy foods. He wanted to break the health risk which passed from both his Grandfather and his Father. I thought he sounded very positive and that was a good sign.
Well, at the end of last week, I saw his obituary in the newspaper. He was only fifty-nine years old. Yes, he lived longer than his Dad and Grandfather, but not by much. That made my very sad. Oh, don't get me wrong, I am so grateful that I'm still living, when in all actuality, I was very close to death back in 2006. It just got me to thinking about different things.
Then today, there was another school incident here in Pennsylvania. A young sophomore took two knives to school and started stabbing other students. Finally the principle got him on the ground, and although he, too, suffered injuries, he got the knives away from the young man. This child was only about fifteen years old. He's still just a child! I sometimes wander what is happening to our children today.
I realize there is a lot of "bullying" being done, both in school and on the Internet. Where are the parents of this children, and I'm speaking about both the child doing the bullying and the victim. Have they, the parents, stepped back from what's going on in the life of their child? Are children left alone too much? Is there interaction between parents and children today? I find it so hard to believe when a parent says that they had no idea that their child is a bully or the victim of a bully.
I'm sorry, but it's the responsibility of parents to know what's going on in their children's lives, be it good or bad. There simply is no room for bullies in this world. I have absolutely no patience for bullies, be it children or, worse yet, adults. It's a sign of weakness and low self esteem.
Please, if you have children, you need to take time every day, to sit down and talk with them. Know what their moods are and if they seem upset, or if their schedules change in any way, confront them until they open up to you. My heart goes out to all those victims of bullying, as well as to their parents. It has to stop, one child at a time. If the parents of those doing this bullying would demand better behavior from their children, perhaps we could eliminate bullying from our world. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
I've also been thinking about what my next writing will be about. I still haven't decided on anything in particular. I did tell my good friend that I'd help her with a piece on MS. She's lived with all the ailments that develop with having MS, and it's been very hard on her. But, I'm so proud of her because she hasn't given up; she hasn't let depression get her down, even when she experiences one thing on top of another. I think she could be a wonderful help to those suffering from MS, who are confused and sacred.
Living with any chronic illness isn't easy, not for the sick person and not for their spouse. I know this first hand. I realize how my being chronically ill has affected the life of my husband and I'm so sorry for this, but there's nothing I can do about it. He's finally been doing things by himself and he's now accepted my limitations, which makes me very happy. He is my husband and I love him and he didn't deserve to have his life change so much, but then, neither did I. But why not me, I'm no more special than anyone else in God's eyes. He loves us all equally.
I hope the remainder of your week goes smoothly. May God be with each one of you.
Susan
No comments:
Post a Comment