Thursday, June 17th, Ran 3.3 miles/ Total so far 177.5/ Miles to go 822.5! Gambling - did not win lotto or weekly grand Wednesday :) Total investment so far $57/ Winnings $33 Net Loss $24!
Got up at 4 am to catch the red eye back to Dallas Wednesday. Gym Rat Picked me up at DFW Airport. But before he arrived as I was waiting in front of the terminal a husband and wife with a boy about 11 drove up. As the father unloaded the pick-up truck and said his goodbyes it became apparent that his wife and son were going to visit her father for father's day. There were the customary kisses and hugs and his wife wished him a happy father's day too. Then, as the son and wife walked off and were about to enter the terminal the father yelled to his son "Son, remember what I told you. Take care of your mother!"
I was so touched. What a wonderful value to be instilling in that young boy. In a world where parents lavish children with things and experiences and we have televisions shows about spoiled girls and 16th birthday parties, how great to remember the responsibilities that come with being a son or a daughter. And the admonition was also a recognition of the role of being a man in the future and all that entails.
I remember that my father had to drop out of school in the 9th grade to take care of his mother and younger two brothers when his family was abandoned for a while by an alcoholic father. Not and easy time. He moved his mom and brothers to Little Rock Arkansas were there were more jobs and started working in a drug store.
Gym Rat teaches in a public school and is always asking his students what they do for their parents who work so hard and buy them so many things....and asking indulgent parents what the expect from their kids and why they do not require them to do their homework, etc. I am glad that this family reminded me a this value. I think that television and movies have contributed to this in some way by how parents and adults in general are portrayed. Usually kids are portrayed as smarter and parents as idiots. It may be funny but not such a great signal or role model for the next generation.
Oh well, off my soap box. Despite it all Life Is Good!
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Very touchy, we all should appreciate what our parents did and doing for us.
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