Saturday, August 16, 2008 – “A Commitment.”  This morning, as I sit on my patio with my morning coffee, I start reminiscing my childhood, my parents and their values, and, of course, my children and my grandchildren.  My parents were from the “old school” and used “The Golden Rule”, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” as their guide to parenting.  They taught me to consider how my attitude and actions could be best interpreted and understood by turning them around and imagining someone else doing the very same thing to me, to analyze how I would feel in order to understand how others might feel.  It was so deeply engrained in me in everything I did that it is now a part of who I always strive to be, although I do disappoint myself when I succumb to our more earthly-type behaviors.  I ask for forgiveness and forgive myself as I proceed further up my life’s path.   

With this as my guide to life, I promise you …  That I will not ever knowingly make others feel guilty if they do not follow my desires; I will never threaten to quit for the purpose of  persuading others to go my way; I will never consider anyone a “traitor” for exercising their freedom of choice, and strongly feel that the term is a judgment of another's character and is a judgment I have no right to assess; I will not silence, belittle or become angry if I ‘perceive’ that someone has let me down; I will never use my health, inabilities, or an “underdog” theory for the purpose of appealing to the sympathy of anyone else for my own gain; and, I will not “whine,” when things are not going as well as I would like to get others to feel sorry for me for the purpose of enticing them to do what I want them to do.   I will always respect others as I would want to be respected.  I will always try with all my might to share and contribute joy to everyone’s life, and will do it with enthusiasm, happiness, love in my heart and respect for the lives of all human beings.
    

Thank you, MOM and DAD, for who you were, for your love and devotion to David and me, for the security we felt in our home, and the wonderful childhood experiences we had that have been the foundation for who we have become and have lasted throughout our lives.  I have always been and will always be eternally thankful that God chose you to be our parents.  I miss your warmth, your touch and your sweet faces, but you are with me still … and I honor you.