When Was the LAST Time?

     Think about our every day busy lives.  If you’re a young person you’ve probably already started back to school.  Now every day you’ve got your class assignments, your after school club activities, or you’re involved in band or sports or something!  Then you can’t do a lot of relaxing in the evenings because you’ve got all that school homework to get finished or you’re lying in front of the TV wasting your time watching something you probably didn’t really want to see, but all the kids will be talking about it at school the next day and you want to be ready for the conversation.

     Now all you grownups are probably not much better because you’ve probably got to get yourself ready for work (and maybe the kids ready for school too.)  And if you’re not preparing before and/or after work for those meetings, those reports that have to be done, or catching up on the things you didn’t get finished the day before, you’re the “home” parent who must be caring for the cleaning, the meals, the disasters that “crop up” from time to time or you’re the one running the kids around to and from school, those after school activities and dealing with all their complaining.  Or maybe you’re the one who is doing ALL these things!  Have I left anybody out of the above scenarios?  If I did I’m sorry but you already know the grind of the daily routine you have to face.

     So with ALL these things going on in our lives sometimes we forget to show a little kindness to all the people in our life who really help us get through it all.  Often these people are not only dealing with the traumatic events of their own lives, but they are exerting themselves in many ways in our behalf.  Let’s take a few minutes and consider some of the main people I am talking about that may affect your life by starting out with some of the obvious.

     If you are a young person, when was the last time you thanked your parents?  To start with THEY gave you life!  Now don’t come up with that lame statement: “Well I never asked to be born!”  That is the dumbest comment I have ever heard.  Who of us --- ANY of us --- ever ASKED to be born?  Your parents gave you a special gift.  And their hopes have always been that you’d use that gift in the best way possible:  By being a descent, law abiding, honest, hard-working person who brings joy to their lives with every day you put forth your best potential possible.  Do they get angry at you for making mistakes, for disappointing them on occasions?  Possibly!  But they always love and desire that you be the best you can.  That’s why they feed you, house you, clothe you, and run you all around town for YOUR activities when they could be doing things they’d like to do.  And perhaps Y-E-A-R-S in the future you will learn of the true sacrifices THEY made so you could have a better life.  When was the last time you told them how much you loved them and how much you appreciate that THEY are YOUR parents?

     And stop for a moment and think about all those men and women who sacrifice to give you the education that you are going to need for the future!  I’m talking about your teachers.  Yes, they DO sacrifice!  Very few of them make a lot of money as teachers.  And when you calculate how much time they spend BEFORE and AFTER school, their actual hourly pay is extremely low.  Add to that that in today’s school system some teachers are paying for their classroom supplies OUT OF THEIR OWN MONEY!  This is because of their love and concern for the education of the children in their classes.  So, you young ones, when was the last time you told your teachers how much you appreciate all the things they do in your behalf?

     You adults when was the last time you told your mate how much they mean to you?  I know you work hard and provide financially for them and you home workers keep the affairs of the house in proper order, so shouldn’t they KNOW how much you care?  But ALL of us desire to HEAR how our mates feel about us.  We often long so desperately for those words of encouragement from our mate.  So take the time --- OFTEN --- to let them know HOW you feel about them.  Of course, the occasional unexpected little gift of affection is also appreciated too.

     Consider from time to time all the people who have touched your life and what effect they have had (or continue to have) on you.  Then ponder for yourself:  When was the last time ---?

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Today may be the BEST day of your life.

Don't let it slip through your fingers unappreciated."