That's a long title for a true statement. I say this because I have come to learn, that people don't cherish or have the level of respect for what is given to them for free. Let's examine some of the instances that I am referring to. We will start with life itself. We receive this wonderful gift, not fully knowing how we got it, where it came from or when and how it will end. However, many of us don't appreciate its true value until it's too late.
Another example is the wisdom that's passed down to us, by someone that has "know how" or experience. For example, if you ask any adult that has had the chance to reflect on some of their past, I bet you will hear a lot of "I wish that I knew then what I know now." When in fact, most adults did know then what they know now, but they chose to ignore the wise counsel of others. Parents go through this every day while trying to protect their children from the pitfalls of life.
Many parents, like myself, envisioned our child's life a certain way. Parents give all sorts of great free advise and sometimes bad advice as well. There are two things that must be recognized with this.
- Every person is different and will process things base on what they think is best for them.
- Something strange happens to many children when they become teenagers. It seems as though parents go from hero to zero overnight.
If you are a parent reading this, don't worry, eventually, your children come back around and wonder; how did you put up with them without killing them?
Even as adults, we tend to disrespect and not give the proper level of appreciation to things that are given to us freely. The thing that people fail to realize is, that someone has to pay for things even if they are to be given free to someone else.
We live in a country, where citizens hold freedom in high regard. However, the freedoms we have today, came at a high price, by those who made great sacrifices. Although the majority of our citizens enjoy freedom, not all of us have paid for it.
Free can be a good thing to have or obtain and it should always be cherished for the value that it holds.
