Puppy dogs, and Mud

There is a very simple concept that eludes most of humanity as a whole. The idea of exactness in obedience. I'm not talking about slave labor. I'm talking about following the rules that are set down by human decency and compassion, and charitable nature in life. The concept that by exact obedience to laws there are magnified opportunities for happiness. You can not expect another person to live so that YOU can have freedom of will. Your choices are your own. No one else should have to accept the out come. It's the old adage 'your freedom ends where my nose begins.'. Forcing someone else to accept your life choices and your consequences, purely for your own selfishness, is corrupting the most basic of all our human desires. Freedom. I will stand against anyone who forces their lifestyle on me. I will rebel openly against anything that tells me I MUST accept another persons choice as my own. I would hope that you will too. Do not be confused by the common confusion of teaching and enforcing correct principles with the forced opinions and choices. There are times in our young lives when it would seem that our parents are forcing their decisions, or lack thereof, on us. We feel the burden of their consequences and blame them for forcing us into things we do not believe. Some of that may be true. Whether you are a Prima Ballerina, or a star Quarterback, or a Musician will matter little in the long run. Those things make be the affects of their own choices, and you will most certainly feel the shadow of their hurt at not having tried hard enough, or having not had the opportunity. But in doing things that require discipline your parents are teaching you to wait. It is hard to wait. It is a good thing to learn to wait. It is also a good thing to learn to listen, and to say 'thank you', and to work hard, and to respect your body, and serve willingly, and be compassionate, and to be honest full of integrity. You will do many things that feel like your parents are controlling your life. If they have half a brain, and most of their heart they're "control" is merely a training exercise in these qualities and much more. You will be better people, and better human beings because of these things. Learning to do these things that you are asked with exactness in your obedience you will learn quickly to be a better person than your parents. That is the ultimate gift. Your work will become easier, the load lighter, and most importantly you will be happier. Exactness in obedience is hard. Yet there is nothing that will bring you sweeter joy, or more soothing peace than that. If I could hope for anything for you as my children it would be this; that you would be exact in your obedience.