-- Published: Monday, 19 September 2016 | Print | Disqus
By Larry LaBorde
When Barry Obama ran for president his slogan was “Change you can believe in”. It really does not matter too much who wins this next election for US president as it is doubtful much will really change. The best we can hope for is a small change in the present direction we are headed. Problems such as: retirement shortfalls in government & private pensions, run away government deficits and the resulting ever increasing debt, continual loss of privacy and freedoms, the warfare / welfare state, our leaders in government are now above the laws that we must live by, and on and on.
In the final analysis the only thing we can really change is ourself. I find that working on myself is a full time job. While we can certainly try to change the direction of government the really big challenge in our lives in the change within. A better nation starts with better families and better individual citizens. While it is always easier to fight dragons without, those within are much more difficult to defeat.
We must take a long inward look at ourselves on an individual basis and seek to put our own house in order before we can do so on a national basis. We must come to realize that we cannot live beyond our means and that we must clean up our personal debt. We must educate ourselves. We need to examine our own moral code and set our souls on target before we can align our national compass.
“The Art of Manliness” by Brett McKay is a popular book among men that describes classic skills and manners needed to become a gentleman, husband and father. The book has been so popular that there is also a website with even more articles. Most of these common skills were usually passed from father to son in the teenage years. Sadly too many young men were raised without a full time father and they simply missed these lessons. McKay does a good job in remedial manhood.
“The Four Agreements” is another good book by Don Miguel Ruiz that covers timeless values for men throughout the ages for personal growth.
C.K. Chesterson was an English writer and philosopher at the turn of the last century. He is responsible for two of my favorite quotes:
“Without education, we are in horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously.”
“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting: it has been found difficult and left untried.”
C.S. Lewis holds the distinction of being the author of my favorite theological quote: “We do not have a soul, we are a soul; we have a body.”
A few quotes from Mark Twain are applicable:
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.”
“A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.”
Of course the Bible is one of the greatest sources of practical living advise you can ever find. The Book of Proverbs is my favorite for day to day advise on living.
Spend time with your family. Read a book. Teach your children and grandchildren timeless values. Spend time in prayer. It is only when we all change our hearts and minds for the better that we can ever truly change our country for the better. It would be much simpler if we could just vote for the right person and everything would be fixed but alas true change is much harder.
Larry LaBorde
Larry LaBorde sells precious metals through Silver Trading Company LLC. Since 2001, Silver Trading Company has offered high volume sales of gold, silver, platinum and palladium to serious investors around the world. It also offers guidance about storage options for metals. Please visit Silver Trading Company’s website at www.SilverTrading.net.
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-- Published: Monday, 19 September 2016 | E-Mail | Print | Source: GoldSeek.com
