Paying attention

  I wonder how many are paying attention? It sure seems to me a lot of folks aren't, not at all, but are rather self absorbed. Of course I have always felt that way I suppose. Maybe it stems from being the youngest child in a family of four. I did have to just watch and listen a lot and as a result I was paying attention. Turns out Yogi Berra was right, " you can see a lot of things by observing. "I've certainly seen more than my share over the years. Lots of bad choices and wrong assumptions made. I've seen the consequences of those too. Also the reason I get annoyed with those that want to play victim. As I like to point out, you don't get to start the fire and then complain when you got burned! It's been my experience we pretty much get whatever we choose, in the manner we choose to get it. The only caveat being, you have to genuinely want it, work for it, and be persistent. Success has to be measured with your own yardstick! That is a little secret to life that many fail to see or understand. It's true your may be the only one that knows you succeeded, but isn't that enough? If it isn't, you need to reevaluate what you are doing. 

 We create our own happiness, entertainment comes from an outside source. In the same way that counting the coins in my neighbors purse isn't putting any in mine, depending on others to entertain you, will leave you broke. Expectation breeds dependence. 

 How many are paying attention to that? There are many actions we may feel that should be taken, by others, that are not. You shouldn't feel disappointed by that. If you do, it is because you were expecting something. You were expecting another to react in the same manner as yourself. That is simply because you feel that action is correct, by your standard. But they are using a different standard altogether. If you react honestly to your own emotional needs, you will not be disappointed. That is what hobbies are all about. Doing those things that please ourselves creatively. We are creating our own happiness. It's true even when you disappoint yourself! There are those that will say the greatest happiness is in entertaining others. It sounds good, I'll give you that. Problem is that creates a dependence. If others aren't entertained, you are disappointed.

 But we must remember we have a social obligation to society as well. We can not operate solely on our emotions and that is what law is all about. Law defines the parameters of action and reaction to a given circumstance. When law conflicts with emotion, logic and reason must be applied. That's the premise behind justice being blind. Lady Liberty is blind to emotion, not to the law. We shouldn't be changing law solely on emotional response. That happened in Roe V Wade and we can all see the result today. The wants of a few costing the lives of millions! Is anyone paying attention? Those wants are in contradiction to natural law, universal law, the right to life. We all have a right to life, except in the case of Roe V Wade. Our social obligation is to preserve life, not to take it. 

 Society is wounded. When, as a society, we begin to take from others to give to those that do not contribute to that society, society is wounded. We are seeing the results of that, especially today. It creates a separation, hence the desire to redistribute. It's an emotional response to what is a legal circumstance. Consider this, I rob the bank, but because of my need it is just called an undocumented withdrawal, it wasn't theft! Isn't taking my tax money to support others the same thing? How is that any different? It's an emotional response, not a legal one. What does the law says about that? 

 The government has many rules and regulations about charitable organizations, what they can and can not do. There are many rules and regulations regarding tax-exempt status for Churches and other organizations. Thing is there are no laws saying the government must give to a charity! Yes, the government is exempt from that social obligation because, well, it is government. The government however does regulate what social obligations can or can not be utilized. Emotion vs law. 

 Is anyone paying attention? When government creates dependence, government destroys society. And strangely, or maybe not, you wind up with socialism! Happiness comes from within, it is not an external thing. It can not be provided by anyone else. You may be entertained, for a while, but it will end. Is anyone paying attention?