Kenders' Musings

The weather yesterday brought to my senses, for the briefest of moments, a scent that, just for a millisecond, transported me into my memories.  Thoughts of playing touch football in the street during a midsummer rain rushed back and just for that moment I was there.  The smell of hot wet asphalt, the smiles on our faces and the pure joy of a youth unfettered with the concerns of the world mixed with a feeling of never ending security wrapped us in the completeness of the blissful ignorance of youth.

I can still feel the wet football in my hands as the rain poured down and I hiked the ball to C.B.  Blocking Chris McPhee to keep him off of C.B. as my little brother ran a slant pattern, outrunning chris's little brother kenneth to catch the ball and head for the endzone, which was actually anything beyond the white concrete gutter that ran across our road.  I could feel the lateness of the afternoon, knowing we could play until the street lights came on, and life seemed content, our jobs of being children were secured, for now.

Then we grew up.  Now I have a son of my own, his life very unlike mine.  Always in constant contact with authority figures via his cell phone.  His days planned out sometimes, with play dates and errands to be run with his mother. His childhood less of a child hood and more of a controlled schedule, much like a celebrity or political figure of some importance.  Our children now are too valauble to be left to their own devices I guess.  Or are we too fearful of our lack of parenting skills, the same lack of parenting skills our parents were sure they lacked, to let our precious snowflakes live a life of their choosing, hoping that between their natural intelligence and and those few skills we have imparted and the warnings we have given them over their few short years that they can make decent enough decisions to survive on their own without us hovering overhead, constantly getting updates as to where they are, who they're with and what time will they be back and do they need a ride?

Why have we become so fearful of our world, so unsure of our kids abilities to make good choices that we simply feel we aren't being a good parent unless we are there to stop them from making a mistake?

Mistakes are how we learn.  We learned how to build ramps to jump bikes by learning which design worked and which didn't and yes, sometimes we got hurt.  But nobody sued.  We learned how to climb trees by climbing trees, and yes sometimes we got hurt, but nobody sued.  We learned how to settle our differences, sometimes by fighting, and yes sometimes we got hurt, but nobody sued.

We learned a lot growing up.  By dealing with each other and learning the skills which help you get along in the rel world. We learned the art of compromise, and when that failed we learned the art of persuasion. When that failed we learned the last resort was fighting.  But always, after the fight, friends made up, agreements were reached and we moved on as friends once again.

How I long for those halcyon days of youth, unfettered by workaday concerns to be passed along to my son. So he would know a childhood unencumbered by such worldy issues as border security, taxes, islam. Instead he is indoctrinated in PCBS, multicultural claptrap and taught untruths and slanted lies.  His chil;dhood is being stolen from him by an ideology (or is it idiotology?) that states critical thinking is a hate crime, all cultures are equal and making judgments against anyone other than "rich white men" will not be tolerated.

The carefree days of my youth are long gone, replaced with the sure knowledge that those in power are usurping our children, indoctrinating them into this new world order think, against the wishes of the vast hordes of American Patriots who understand it was not thievery or imperialism that got us here but unfettered liberty.  That free men working to better their own lives will raise up the community.  That all boats rise together.

I fear someday one of those memories about his youth will manifest in my sons head when the weather changes just for a moment, transporting him back to cherished memories and I wonder what he will feel in that millisecond.

Will it bring a smile to his face? Or will the fear mongering indoctrination of lurking disaster and class warfare bring a worried frown to his forehead as he digests those memories and what they meant to him then, and what they mean now?

My memories of then were pure childhood bliss. In context of years gone by that's how they should have been, and our children today know less of the freedom of being a child running free in a reasonably safe world because we know more of the dangers of living in a world full of dangers.  Those dangers were always there, but we were trusted to not go with strangers, not to commit crimes and to be a good kid.  It didnt always work out, because youth is for learning boundries.  Childrens boundries today are too confining, and they learn precious little of the skills which would let them grow into functioning adults capable of muddling their way through life.

We do our children a disservice by clinging so tightly.  We are creating a generation of offspring who are incapable of making good decisions or following a moral path simply because it is the right thing to do.  They are told "do whatever feels good" and when things fall apart they are told "it's not your fault."

We are failing our children by refusing to stand against those who push this claptrap.  Confront them and their only argument is "you're racist/hateful/ignorant/hate children" and a whole host of other labels those who cannot think logically attempt to place on those of us who realize life is a dangerous place, nobody gets out alive and sometimes bad luck happens.

Let the chips fall where they may.  Let the consequences be meted out in justice. Let those who can succeed, succeed and let those who fail, fail.  It is the way of life.

Down the other path is assured ruin as the formerly free citizens of this great country become nothing more than animals in a zoo, unable to fend for themselves and dependent on their masters in D.C.

As for me my kid can stay out until the street lights come on, climb trees, build forts and crash his bike on a ramp which proved to be structurally unsound, for only  then will he learn

Liberty will always trump well meaning servitude.  Liberty leads to greatness and freedom unhinged and success for those who produce. Well meaning servitude leads to despair, destruction and dependency on a hand that might not always be so benevolent.

So which for you?

FREEDOM?

or

SERVITUDE?

I know my choice, and am willing to fight for it.  Are those so enamored with servitude willing, or even capable, of fighting for their beliefs?

I'd wager they aren't.

Nineteen

The mourners gathered slowly
Through the February rain
Toward a lonely casket
To be laid at rest today
A hero of this country
Had sacrificed his life
Defending his brave brothers
Surrounded by the strife
A grenade had rolled amongst them
Without a second thought
He yelled out one last warning
And dove onto the spot
His body took the impact
Shredded, thrown into the sky
While Marines all dove for cover
As they knew their brother died
They tried their best to save him
A hero to them all
Now he rests at God's right hand
In the Grace of Kingdoms Hall
He left behind a grieving wife
And a son he'd never seen
A Hero to his country
At the age of just nineteen