We hopped in the car, and were in search for a good location for fireworks... we knew about where they would be launching the fireworks, but we didnt want to get so wrapped up in the crowd, so we went a little further out to find a good spot... anyways- well we ended up along the sidewalk along the road, we had a good view...
Well we set up our chairs, like many of the people around us.
There was a family- near us- I assume it was a mom, dad, and a 10 year old son (or he looked about 10... 11, maybe 12.???)
I knew immediatly that this kid was going to be loud and would be bothersome duuring the firework show, he climbed up in the tree, and his parents didnt stop him, they said 'son get down' in the most calm and gentle voice, they said it a couple of times... he did not obey. (didnt surprise me... since it was obvious that they were not in control.) he was quiet for the majority of the show... but it was towards the end of the show--- it was a 20 min show, and about 5 mins before it ended the boy yelled out "THIS IS SOOOO BORING!!!" the parents asked "well what did you think it would be?" ... "Some kind of laser show...."
"No, this is fireworks....but the finale will be coming up soon."
"what's a finale?"
"when it is almost over"
"oh ok... and is that when the fire works will look like cartoon characters or something?"
"No, just when they will start to shoot off really fast"
"oh. well let me know when that is, because I want to go."-- he proceeded to run around and climb the tree again.
about 1 minute later, the finale began.
the dad hollered out "OK, this is the finale!"
he came back to watch... about 5 seconds into it.. "HOW BORING!"
I couldnt believe what I was hearing.and just how ungrateful this kid sounded. and how just the parents basically just stood there...
Maybe it is because fireworks are one of my favorite things to watch... always has been. I've LOVED the Fourth of July- I love the sight of the American Flag waving, I love waiting for it to get dark enough for the fireworks to begin.love watching them shoot in the air and explode into many colors, and different shapes. I love hearing the big "BOOM" .....
maybe just me.
when I heard this boy - being "bored" by it all... really made me realize the future generations, having to be constantly entertained... and everything has to be bigger and better..
a memory raced to my head -- when I was in Mexico on mission trip... I went on a few mission trips to Mexico... my church would have a team go down there and build little houses and would also have different medical teams. I was always on the construction team. Every year the kids would FLOCK to us, they'd want us to kick around the soccer ball, or do hula hoops, or give them a hug and they were facinated with BUBBLES! (this has always surprised me....do you think kids in america would be so fascinated with the simplist things.... bubbles..????[not many.])
As American's we have so much. Even if you have the littlist. I can almost guarantee you have more that the poverty that there is in other countries.
I have seen homes without running water, using outhouses. homes that are Made out of scrap wood, cardboard,even a roof out of car hoods... and what does your house look like?Bricks? plywood? Windows? doors? oh, a concrete foundation? wow. Carpet? tile? Oh, you have running water? actual bathrooms???
Every single time I went to mexico to build little homes--- "Casitas"- the family that we built them for, were so incredibly grateful for what we had done-- and guess what-- it really wasnt that much... it was a cinderblock home, on a concrete foundation, with a tin roof. 2 doors- 2 windows. I cannot remember the exact dimensions- I want to say it was maybe 10 ft x 8 ft, then 8ft tall??? I cant remember... but thats approximately of how much they were...
the families LOVED IT!- it was so simple... you would think that you would have given them a mansion. It was incredible to watch the homeowners - they would watch us build their new home, many tears were shed because they were so happy for their new home.
You have to really take a step back, realize that these conditions are what they live in every day.. this is the normal... they have very little.
makes me realize of how much we do have in America. how much freedoms we have, and how well we do have it.
We forget that our everyday lives - our normal- is so much better than many others.
With technology now... I feel that kids - in particular--- want to be entertained "right now"... immedietly. they arent growing up with having to wait, on anything, everything is handed to them that instant. (this doesnt apply to ALL kids... but just seems like alot of them... you know?)
They have to be entertained in the car, they cant entertain themselves.- Portable DVD players, Gameboys, PSP whatevers... ipods, Ipads... to keep them entertained... in the car, even if you are just driving down the road, out comes the dvds and gameboys.
constantly needing to be entertained.
I'm not perfect- but I know growing up my parents didnt shove a dvd in our face, or a gameboy or whatever. -- If we were out and about running around- I was looking out the window.
If we were on a car ride- I was reading a book. or we were playing various car games- which kept us all entertained, and really had us bonding. and yes, mom would even sing car songs... songs that no one else knows besides our family... I think. haha.. anyways...
I feel like so many parents shove something in their kids face as if it was a "pacifier.." to pacify them, to keep them quiet.and not bother them.
The kids want things in an instant. right then right there. - like that kid that wanted to be entertained with lasers and cartoon character shaped fireworks... always want to be entertained. constantly bored, nothing to do...
What happend to bonding together, talking? and teaching your children valuable lessons... like being thankful for what you have.
I know when I complained about 'being bored' -- guess what I got to do-- chores around the house-- chores that were of course appropriate to my age- but still was able to learn a lesson - when I was bored... don't tell mom, or she'll tell me to dust. haha. nah- but I think it helped me in the long run - I was able to 'help' mom out and do things kept me occupied, and was learning general household duties, and what was to be done.
Guarantee you those kids I saw in mexico--- remember- they didnt need a gameboy or iPod... or iPad... they loved bubbles. and time hugging on us, and spending time playing games together.
I think we all could learn a lesson from this...
being thankful for what we have.
We need to Thank God for providing what he has provided for us, and what He will provide in the future.
(and we need to pass that along to others, and the children)
We are to Thank God in ALL circumstances.
Sorry for kind of jumping around today - I really feel like we should be thankful for what we have, and really should take time to realize what we do have, and how we can change that, and change that for future generations.
No comments:
Post a Comment