What I valued most growing up

Occasionally I try to look back and see what was really important and I have found some revealing things that affect my life today.

What was most important and why?

• Mom's cooking - it was fantastic and it told me everyday how much she cared.  One of the fun things I enjoy is hearing her tell about Jon Tanny (Olsen) and Eddie (Harris) is how they loved to come to our house and eat her cookies.  She really enjoys telling about Jon Tanny and how much he liked her cookies but if you want to hear that story you have to call her.
• An occasional paddling on the butt taught me the difference between good decisions and bad.  Well, maybe they were not so occasional.  Janis Harris always thought Eddie and I deserved more but she was wrong.  Just like the time she complained to dad about Billy Snyder driving too fast.  She then told dad Billy was driving so fast she could not pass him.  Go figure?
• Debbie's watching over me (my sister) and always speaking up for me as she was older (still is).  It told me she cared and that she was proud of me.  She was and is special.  She also was a great cook.  I think she was almost like a twin sister to me.  I was always loved, still am.
• Larry Wayne (my brother) who took me hunting and fishing all the time even if it meant he was baby sitting me.  He was an example of discipline and doing the right thing.  I don't think he ever made a mistake.  At least I got in trouble more than he did.
• Dad and how he worked so hard and his play was work.  He enjoyed whatever he did but it was what most folks called work.  I think he would have done anything for Mom as he spoke of how great she was, often.  That taught me that she was important and his first priority.  He also bragged on what a good daughter Debbie was which taught me he noticed how we acted. 
• My folks taught me to work was a good thing and I should appreciate having a good job.  They taught me that depending on the government or someone else was not right and that I had a responsibility to take care of folks in need.  How do you build a desire in folks to do better with their life if you don't let them experience what happens when they don't?  
• My folks taught me Cheating is never rewarding if you know you cheated.  How can a person feel good about themselves if they know they did not work for what they got?   I suppose this is one of the hardest things for me to understand today when I see so much government handouts at the expense of those who pay the taxes.  In fact if a person wants to give money away to those who do not deserve it then they should donate their money to the government as a tax deduction and not try to donate mine as well.  
• Penalties - my folks and my community taught me that there is a penalty for doing bad like when I got arrested for making a dumb decision.  You will have to dig back through my blogs if you want to know that story.  Penalties can be temporary and short or they can be permanent and last a lifetime.  I told my kids when they were growing up that sometimes small bad decisions can change your life forever for positive or negative depending on what you do with your mistake. No matter which way you go there are still consequences.

Last but not least my family and many friends taught me, "If you help enough other folks get what they want out of life, you will have more than you ever dreamed".

Thanks for listening,

Gary@thepioneerman.com