She learned to strive for Progress not Perfection

   I wrote this a few weeks ago. I sat on it, deciding if I wanted to go public with my thoughts or not. But as I come across it this morning, I find my thoughts are still the same but circumstances have changed in the world for a brief moment of time. Harvey has devastated Texas and Louisiana. Many good people have come together to help each other, whatever their beliefs are. Now, Irma has pounded the south and is still on the direct path to many more. I see again, the good in people, as they offer help to those in need. That is what our country is all about. Where and when did it go in a different direction? When these storms are over, when lives are being put back together, I pray for these new opportunities to help and love our neighbors,  that they don`t get wasted. I pray that people will see others that are put on their hearts, and in their minds... and in their paths and that will become the new norm,  the new priority, to reach out to others in love.   I pray that these words that I wrote several weeks ago, become bad memories of the way it was.... I walk a very fine line these days. Be observant  and watch the news and get angry and stressed about it or just let it go and not worry about what is going on in the world. Sadly, I would much rather let it go, but it is reality, it is life, it is the life we are living and if we don`t pay attention, we have no idea how truly bad the world is getting. So, as I am waking up this morning, getting those last few moments of bed time before we actually get out of bed,  I turn the news on to get started for the day.I watched a grown man weep openly because of something the president said or didn`t say, because of the amount of time it took him to say something or time it took him to say the words that this man had decided were the wrong words. I watched as young people with weapons rioted in the streets then climbed up on a public statue to tie a rope around it and pull it down. I listened as there was talk about doing this to all statues that represented the past in some way. I heard talk of changing names of parks and roads. I saw an article about a man that had turned himself into a woman and was "married" to a woman turned man, raising a child who is a boy by birth but they didn`t want to confine "HIM" to being a male, so they didn`t mention his gender and said that they would leave it to him, what he wanted to be. He was allowed and encouraged to wear girl clothes and play with dolls.I watched as a young collage student told how she had interned for the summer in Washington and had the privilege to have her picture taken with the vice president and post it on her facebook page. I heard her speak of how she has been ridiculed  by friends and family who said hateful things to her about being in the picture with someone they did not approve of.I listened to people blast whatever, whenever and however the president breathes.  He must be so weary of fighting each day against people who have declared war on him.  There is no light shining for people to see what good things are being done, because the war of evil and entitlement and free speech is so loud and dark.I wept silently in my heart for things of the past. The carefree youthfulness that is no longer for our children and grandchildren. The long summer days of playing in the yard and walking around the block, leaving doors unlocked for neighbors to come in.. Political correctness has replaced it all. Silence is not always GOLDEN.  Now is the time to boldly speak up and speak out. When did wrong become right? Seems it just happened over night but if we do not speak out, it will continue and slowly become the norm. If you are surprised or don`t know what I am talking about, then you must be the one who decided to just let it go, and don`t watch the news.. which is not a bad thing altogether.... just don`t see the bigger picture of what is really happening, slowly, day by day.What if people destroyed public property and there were consequences and the police took them to jail and they were held responsible for what they had done and possibly were arrested for destruction of public property?What if freedom of speech was taken to the next level and people were hurt and properties set on fire, and police stepped in without being afraid of  being shot and being called names and started arresting people?What if you threatened the President of the United States by mocking a beheading of him or assassination of him, or threatened to blow up the white house, you got arrested and charged? and it was a bad thing instead of people cheering and paying money to see it?What if these people who are so unhappy living here in the US , go to any other country and disrespect it, wonder what would happen to them,? In some countries, I wonder if they would even live?What if high paid athletes that use their platform to protest and disrespect our country by sitting down during the national anthem , what if they got  warned and then if they continued to be disrespected, they got  fired? If they were at a corporate company and just sat down when the CEO was talking to them because they did not like what he was saying, wonder what would happen.?  And what are they complaining and protesting for in this public manner after all, they are living the American dream, making tons of  money for doing what they love to do, because they were gifted with the ability to play sports. Looks like they might be a little humble and grateful for their life.?What if movie stars and tv stars, would get paid according to who liked their way of thinking or their beliefs? Just be quiet already and act. we are tired of hearing your voice being so disrespectful and hateful of all who do not believe as you do. We are tired of having the next generation being exposed to the filth that comes out of your mouths if you encounter a person who doesnt think as you do.What if history was just that and was taught as history. Parts of it were horrible. War is horrible, slavery was horrible, and thank goodness we have grown and changed but it is how our nation started. We cannot take it back. It cannot be changed but we can Learn from it, never go back there. You cannot tear everything down that reminds you of our history. All of us came from some kind of past years ago, good or bad, but we are not who we came from. We have a choice to be better and an opportunity to change the world for the better.What if we strive for just plain progress... one day at a time and not for perfection. We will never be perfect. The world will never be perfect, but we have the ability to choose to be better . The president is not perfect nor have any before him been perfect. Good is happening in the background. Change is happening, slowly, but not being reported. Report it all... Good and bad and let people choose what they want to support.I read a quote someone posted yesterday, "You have your way, I have my way, as for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist"  Friedrich Nietzsche     REALLY?!!!  maybe that is what is wrong with the world.  I believe there is one way. I believe that there is only one way. I believe the word of the Bible   John 14:6 says, "Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  So Mr. Friedrich, I beg to differ from you.Quotes can be said by anyone. Quotes can be passed around as truth. Words can be typed in on social media to be spread by thousands in just a blink of an eye. Untruths, hate sentiments, vile language..... anyone can post and share...What if we woke up and thought about what we could do to make someones day better instead of waking up with an agenda to be ugly and rude to anyone who doesnt believe as you do, and encourage others to do the same.I saw where two collage groups with different beliefs had come together to protest the removing of the flags in memory of 911 on their campus where they had been for so many years. Why? because it might offend some poor soul who didnt agree with them.  They came together to do something for good with no violence, no riots... they were able to keep the memorial. A lesson for adults who have been elected to do a job, to at least strive for progress together. It takes courage to stand up and speak and sometimes it takes courage to just sit down and listen.....What if elected officials actually did what they were elected for? and were held accountable if they didnt. What if they couldnt go on vacation until they did. What if they had to have the same health insurance as the rest of us do,? What is they had a set number of years in office? what if they had to retire at a certain age and leave office?What if we realized we do not live in a perfect world and we should all work together to keep this great country of ours great..... what if we put our differences aside and worked for progress?I can`t change others but I can choose how I react to the world...Lord, help me to make a difference today, in someones life... help me not to judge others who think different from me, and help me to shine for you in my actions and to make a bit of progress in working towards my purpose in life.Happy Wednesday,Love, Jane