There has been so much going on lately on so many levels that it is enough to make one's head spin clean around. It seems more and more like we are riding an out of control car just barreling toward the wall. Shootings, talk of war, conflict no matter which way we turn seem to be the themes of the day. Peace is more like a fleeting illusion. We just cannot seem to get any time to catch our breath anymore.

It brings to mind the Don Henley lyrics from his hit "The End of the Innocence". "Remember when the days were long, And rolled beneath the deep blue sky. We didn't have a care in the world, with mommy and daddy standin' by. But happily ever after fails, we've been poisoned by these fairy tales. The lawyers dwell on small details since Daddy had to fly."Maybe it's because I was growing up in the 1980s, and life seemed much more carefree and enjoyable. Or maybe I have finally unfortunately grown up and see the world beyond the rose colored glasses, but I have to really stop and ask myself, "Is this what we lived our lives to achieve?"Look around us folks. Is this the America, the area, the town or the neighborhood we expected to have when we finally became adults? I don't know about you, but this country is a shadow of what it used to be. We live in an eternal powder keg with people just itching to snap at the smallest provocation and the lust for power overshadows the logic and control of officials in this world. The arrogance of elected public servants and their over-eagerness to throw regulations at problems is making the enforcement of any of them untenable.There is no compassion, no forgiveness and the hypocrisy abounds especially among the modern day Pharisees that would beat their chests about tolerance while espousing hatred themselves. Is that how a so-called advanced civilization is to behave? I don't think so. We are so much better than this.Atheists are so quick to call for the lack of God in society claiming the mere mention offends them, but friends I ask you, we have removed God systematically from all areas of public life and is our society better or worse for it? Can you honestly say this atheistic, secular approach in the last 30 years has improved society or made it worse?Here is what I see. We force our children to wear uniforms to school under the misguided assumption that it will eliminate class envy and greedy. I have news for you. Children will bully other children even if you made them look exactly alike. The colors of shoelaces or the color of their shirt is irrelevant to how children get along with each other. We like to believe that it will eliminate bullying but I don't believe it to be the case. All you do is eliminate a symptom, but the sad part is that this is the only way our schools can attempt to gain some control and why?My opinion is because there are no strong family units in many households any longer. We live in a disposable world anymore. We are too quick to dump our responsibilities for our happiness and we put ourselves first all the time.We get our nose up in the air, and what do we do? Do we make an honest effort to work it out especially if children are involved? No. We think our happiness should come first. I'm sorry, but I don't think that to be the case. When you have children, you have a responsibility to teach them and to be a good role model to them.What kind of message do you give when you cut and run at the first sign of conflict? I'm not referring to legitimate problems like abuse or physical threats here. Naturally one should do everything to protect himself or herself and stay safe, but too many people are willing to break up when life gets a little rough and throw their children's security under the bus at the first disagreement. Life is not a bowl of cherries, my friends and we are not guaranteed happiness 24/7, but it's how we live with that unhappiness and adversity that makes us better people.We need to teach our children that life is not easy, that it doesn't come with a guarantee and that it can be tough. We need to teach them to respect each other and to look out for each other. We need to teach them to put the other person first and by doing so, it will make their life more rich.In short, we need to teach our children discipline and morality and to treat others the way you have been treated. If we could teach them that, then the world would become a better place. Once upon a time there was a mechanism to do that, but it is too bad we eliminated it to improve our world.After the last twenty years, I frankly would like the former less improved world, how about you?