Living a life of quality

I am always amazed at how different people are, even those that live just minutes apart.  I have been helping my Dad on a contracting job in the country for the last couple of days.  The client lives on over 100 acres, about 15 minutes out of town.  This particular client is an airline pilot, and has a few small planes on his property (complete with a hangar and airstrip.)  I went for a short plane-ride today with the owner, something I really enjoyed doing.  I have always had an interest in airplanes, and hopefully will get my own pilots license in the future. 

What was really neat over the last couple of days is to watch the clients and their 2 young children interact with each other and their property.  The kids are just over 4 years old (little boy) and almost 3 (little girl.)  They ride bikes, swing on the tire swings, go inside to play with legos, run around in the fields, etc.  The parents are always around, the mother watching the children and visiting with friends who stop by.  The father works on his airplanes and takes breaks to play with the kids.  He pushes them on the tire swing, then rides bikes with them, then goes back to his work.  He took the son to a swim lesson at one point.  Both he and the Mom had moments to lecture the kids and even punish them for misbehaving.  They were very loving, but firm and clear about consequences. 

I got a chance to talk with them a little about philosophy, family and values over the past couple of days.  The father mentioned that church didn’t mean as much to him when he was a single man, but since becoming a father it became more important.  He wants his kids to grow up with a foundation of morals, good manners and values.  That used to be what nearly everyone did, but (unfortunately) not anymore.

In stark contrast to the above couple, there are a few kids who live near my neighborhood who roam the streets at all hours of the day and night.  I have never seen them with an adult, let alone a parent in the 4 years I have been seeing them.  A couple of the boys, who I would guess to be 15 years old now, have the classic, rough “rocker” look.  Shoulder length, messy hair, always wearing black t-shirts and one particular boy wears a skull or wolf mask nearly every day.  They look like they have nothing to do, and no one to answer to.  They are troublemakers, littering, shouting obscenities at other kids, throwing rocks at anything, asking anyone who passes by for money and generally being a nuisance.  It is painfully clear that they have no male role model to guide them.  The quality of their current life and their future is bleak, yet they live in a great area and have every opportunity to do something better.  EXCEPT, they don’t have an involved mother and father.  That alone makes the difference in life. 

Why is it so obvious to many of us, yet so difficult for many others to embrace?  Why is the media and our culture bent on destroying everything that’s good?  Does the media like the fact that the family is being systematically destroyed in much of America?  Do they like the fact that this leads to crime, drug abuse, lack of education, poverty, depression and all the other negative things life has to offer? 

What happened to decent, honest, hard-working and loving people?  Where are the ladies and the gentlemen?  They are out there, like the clients I mentioned earlier.  They choose not to take part in the shallow, instant gratification traps that capture many young people today.

I hope you will choose to live a quality life, and give the best of yourself to your children.  Slow down and enjoy the moment every once in a while.  You only live once, so enjoy and appreciate each and every day.