be moderate

  All things in moderation. It's a lesson I was taught as a child. Contrary to popular belief the Bible doesn't say that in so many words. The Bible does tell us to "let your reasonableness be known to everyone" so you have to figure that means be a moderate. In our politically divided world of today that advice should be taken to heart. There are extremes on both sides of the aisle. Today the moderate voices are the ones being called radicals! 

 I'm a moderate person. Nothing too extreme about me, just your everyday person. That's the reason I can see these extremes so readily. I see them in the comments, the cartoons and the memes on Facebook every day. I often leave a comment on a number of those, offering an alternative view or explanation. I do that when I feel something has been taken to the extreme. One I often comment on concerns judgement. When I am extolled by some meme to not judge. Well, I have to point out that one can only reach a decision, a determination, after having judged an action. Yes, judgement is a necessity! I also point out that being judged doesn't mean being condemned, you can be judged to be correct in your actions just as readily. Perhaps that philosophy is best summed up by some song lyrics, "you have to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything" I think Aaron Tippin sang that song. Before you can stand for something you have to judge its' value.

 Another is the whole charity thing. Charity begins at home is the way I was taught. It's a biblical lesson that means a man should take care of his family first. It doesn't mean you should just give your children everything and anything they want. In fact the bible talks about that in a manner of speaking by saying, "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." It becomes a habit. The job of a parent is to teach their children to survive in the world as independent people. It's not cruel or mean to expect them to "leave the nest" and fly on their own. That is the objective of parenting. If your children are still living in your basement, sponging off you, with a college degree in their thirties, you have failed! That is where the blame goes, nowhere else. You have failed in your job. Sounds radical to some but it is a moderate view in reality. 

 Now I've certainly gone to extremes over the years. That's what youth is all about, exploring your limits. I've been up and down. I've made mistakes, exercised poor judgement on occasion, and fell on my face. I've had moments when I expected the unreasonable to be reasonable, and vice-versa. But I like to believe that I have mellowed over time, learned the lessons of moderation. Learning the moral of the story. The tortoise and the hare personified. I have learned the tortoise gets little attention until the race is over. The flamboyant ones, the hares with their bragging ways and extreme self-confidence, attract the attention. Today we may say they have gone viral, like a disease! They spread quickly, do a great deal of harm, and then disappear. 

 My sons have gone forth in the world and raised families of their own. One son has become the Mayor of Greensboro, fulfilling his ambition in that regard. My other son left the nest and relocated to upstate New York where he raised his daughter, now attending college. All my grandchildren are attending college! They have all grown to be strong, independent people, exercising, for the most part, sound judgement. I have much to be proud of. I try to express that pride in moderation, however, lest the wrong message is sent.