Tuesday's Tribute

Today I would like to pay tribute to generations past.  I came across this while looking through some files tonight.

Paul Harvey (whoever that is.... lol) wrote:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and handmade ice cream and leftover meatloaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother or sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother or sister wants to tag along, I hope you let her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days, when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy or girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue to a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Gramma and Grampa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbour's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.  To me, it's the only way to appreciate life. 

Only I would like to add:

May you have to face the music when you break the law, and not be protected by those laws. What lesson is learned in that?

I hope that you get cut from a sports team because of your bad attitude or lack of skill. How will you learn to be a team player or to work harder if your parents cry louder than you do at this injustice?

I hope you have to repeat a grade if you clearly didn't deserve it. That way you, and oft times your teacher, will learn that they have to work harder to get the job done.

Oh, there would be more, but I'll stop there.  

Go see Angie at 7 clown circus for more Tuesday Tributes!