Gratitude is a matter of Attitude and can occur daily, hourly, minute by minute. I spoke recently at Rend Lake Foundation Scholarship Dinner and took time in preparation to think over what education had done for me. I had some interesting insights.
It came to mind that attending a country school with only 4 teachers for 8 grades was a tremendous gift. I learned both lessons from the First Grade and Second Grade and Third Grade and Fourth Grade, etc for eight years. I had a double opportunity to learn everything the teachers taught. I was the teacher's assistant in the later grades because I knew everything in all the books plus I had a lot of time to read other books.
I also think that growing up poor was a great gift. Every day since graduating from high school I have enjoyed a better life materially than when I was a kid. I really do appreciate the blessings of liberty and capitalism.
Attending a small community College was wonderful. The staff and teachers knew each of us and cared for each of us. It was like Grade School again with a lot of interaction, mutual support and encouragement. Cooperation was important and helping each other was normal so I learned how to work in teams and that supported what I saw while working on the farms as a boy.
Starting out with very little money was a blessing. I think the Occupy folks need that education now. The seem to be totally unprepared for life. Maybe they were pampered. I attended a Walter Williams seminar one time at Xavier University. The students sitting in front of us were from the Student Democratic Club on campus.
During his talk, Dr. Williams noted that all young people needed to take a job at Wendy's or McDonald's to learn how to work hard and serve others. The Democratic kids stood up, booed and shouted that such labor was slavery.
At the break, I introduced myself and my friends and asked why they thought working in fast food was immoral. They said that such work was beneath anyone. That all people should start out getting a living wage. (But they had no idea what that was. Mom and Dad were paying for them to attend a very expensive private college.)
In our group were four men who had terminal degrees. (Ph. D., Ed. D., M.D. and Dr. VM.) but we all started out in minimum wage jobs. They were not inspired as I hoped but were aghast! Minimum Wage is IMMORAL!!!
With that attitude I think Minimum Wage is excessive. Those people needed to serve others for FREE to learn to be thankful. Their attitude is one of "The world owes me a living". If they think life is hard now just wait until the Chinese and Indians start to take their jobs in droves and outwork them, outsmart them and out serve them.
will these people go out into the woods and eat grass, roots and weeds? How will they make it in life? Big Daddy Government is out of money. The Garden of Eden is gone. We all must plow, plant, weed and harvest today. We have to make flour and package it before we distribute it and cook it. These people and the Government Bureaucrats who enable them are destined to either change or sit on the street and beg.
What do you think? Are you an Eyore and covet other people's stuff and want them to take care of you or are you thankful about working for your own stuff?
Gary Sweeten
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