Once upon a time, my life was full,
Family and friends one click away,
But one by one, they’ve vanished, it seems,
Till now, all alone am I.
From within my walls I watch the world,
Go by in its chaotic dance,
But here in my small world, I am safe and alone,
Watching LIFE one click away.
What happened to my heart to break it so,
And lock it away from view,
What are those small red spots on my back,
But scars from those claws of betrayal.
How is it suddenly, my alone-ness closes in,
And reveals its uglier truth,
I may have built it, but I can’t tear it down;
Help me put my past under my feet.
Take my hand and lead me out,
Out of this prison I built,
Into the fullness of the life You designed
Surrounded by family and friends.
“Where did we go off track, Barb? what happened to that America? What happened to us?”
This was a response left by a friend to a former post: Where Has America Gone?
Do you know? Here’s my take:
Where did we go off track? We have forgotten our ROOTS, our Judeo-Christian heritage and the common sense virtue that came with it. It seems to me everything fell apart in the 60’s. When we were busy tearing down questionable and corrupt authority, we were naive enough to disregard basic human nature, which in my estimation, is selfishly corrupt. We mocked and rebelled against organized education, religion, family, … just about everything “organized,” but replaced it with only chaos or anarchy. People simply cannot thrive without reasonable boundaries. Today, parents don’t know how to establish ANY boundaries, let alone reasonable ones. Discipline, self-control, and self-reliance are a dirty words, as are responsibility and accountability. Boundaries and discipline used to mean, “I am loved enough to be taught the RIGHT way.” Now it is abuse! But that is where I always return … the disintegration of the family – the nucleus family: 1 dad, 1 mom, 2.5 kids, 1 dog or cat! Again, now, anything goes. I don’t have a problem with same-sex unions, but they are NOT “marriage.” As a WORD person, it concerns me deeply that the militants don’t want to create their own word for same sex unions, they want to re-make the standard definition of marriage to include … ANYTHING. It’s from order and establishment to chaos in 40-50 years. It’s one thing to replace a set order or establishment with another design, but we didn’t. We just “let the chips fall where they may.” Now we’re reaping the consequences of rebellion and chaos. Anything goes.
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold
is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
What happened to our America? Without structure, the “essence” of America began to erode. Was this intentional? No clue! But I don’t think at this point it really matters. The damage is done. Self-indulgence and greed rule the day from Wall Street to Main Street. We gravitate to our private “den’s” and bemoan our sorry state, loneliness as the #1 national illness. Until WE THE PEOPLE emerge from our sleep, and re-take the reins of our present, we have no future to offer our children and grandchildren. At least, not a future in a FREE America.
Liberty is the great parent
of science and of virtue;
and a nation will be great in both
in proportion as it is free.
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
What happened to us? Somehow, as the moral fiber of our nation was slowly compromised, the population at about the same pace, became lazy, uninspired, and unmotivated. We have grown increasingly dependent on the government for just about everything from food to jobs, to our education, our information (via the gov’t backed media), to our homes. While our individual independence and self-reliance made America great, our dependence, fear and compromised morality lulled us to sleep while the “bad” rolled over us like a moral fog blurring our vision and understanding.
When the people fear their government,
there is tyranny;
when the government fears the people,
there is liberty.
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
This may be a simplistic way to see the overwhelming decline is all things solid, moral, trustworthy, and sacred, but it puts the blame where it needs to be … on me, my generation, the hippies, love children, … the BOOMERS! It’s OUR mess! God, give us a way to deal with it constructively!
Americans now are overtaxed, over-regulated, and overly dependent on the federal government! These things must change for America to thrive again.
The price of freedom
is eternal vigilance.
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
Anyone else seem to move along with the seasons … having seasons in your personal life? Not like child, teen, adult … not those kinds of seasons, but … annual seasons …
SPRING: a time of growth, upheaval, passion, zest, energy, dreams, planting
SUMMER: a time of testing, endurance, faith, struggle
WINTER: “death”- figurative, i.e deep struggle leading to resolution, surrender, rest, glimpses of new visions, thus anticipation!
It seems my life follows this pattern pretty regularly … It is both a comfort AND it is also sobering. I generally life patterns. I find them, yes, comforting. It is reassuring to know that winter does come to an end. The frosty edge on the day does soften as the temperatures slowly, and sometimes begrudgingly warm. And just when I think I cannot possibly endure another chill, the bright spring sun warms me through and through and all is well. The earth blossoms again, and color returns in the form of green trees and shrubs, pastel flowers and the azure sky. Spring.
Then, almost before I know it, I’m sweating. The heat of the same sun beats down, quietly pounding me until I must bow like the cracked earth baked under the summer sun. For days the sun pounds me, breaking everything the previous seasons have shaken loose, all in a healthy “pruning” sort of way. Summer.
The heat seems unbearable and unending. Then, right on time, a leaf changes color. More leaves change color and soon there is a shower of leaves swirling around tossed by a gentle breeze. Aromatic fragrances waft through the trees bringing with it the scent of apples, pumpkins, and spices. A hint of smoke hangs in the air, and it dawns on me the air is cooler. Autumn.
The leaves are piled in the slumbering flowerbeds. The chilled edge has made a silent approach. The trees tremble in their nakedness at the bleak outlook. Color has fled. Black and white with shades of grey paint the panorama. Life itself hides at the sternness of the cold. In sheltering caves life tucks itself away to wait for the passing of the season. Winter.
Seasons are NOT coincidence! They are a means of order in an otherwise chaotic sequence of days, weeks, and months.
This is me. Anyone else recognize patterns, or seasons in their life?
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