​Free Range Buggies

This may sound a little simplistic, but with that being said, I declare here and now that you can determine a great deal about the character of a man simply by watching what he does or does not do with a grocery cart once he has finished with it.

I further declare that you can determine the moral health of a nation in the same way. The more grocery carts left to their own devices, the further down the de-evolutionary scale goes the country.

It is a fascinating study. I have seen men and women of high degree and other upstanding citizens act like run of the mill lowlifes as they have set their grocery carts free to roam the parking lots of America in search of cars to dent, trucks to scratch and parking places to occupy. It is a shameful thing to witness.

Conversely, I have also seen men and women of lesser status rise above their societal constraints as they have diligently deposited their buggies in one of the many cart corrals scattered throughout the lot. Such folks are a tribute to their raising, and humble or not, they are worthy of imitation.

The issue at hand, as I see it, is that there is not enough imitation taking place these days.

Call me a dinosaur if you wish, and that may well be true, but I believe that there is simply not enough proper raising going on as of late. There is far too much focus on self and not enough on teaching the young ones in our charge the way they should go and how they should be.

I mean where are the “yes ma’am’s,’ and the ‘yes sirs” of days gone by? Where is the respect for your elders and what happened to common decency?

Where are the simple phrases of kindness hiding? You know: “Let me get that for you.” “Ladies first.” and “Please excuse me.”

While I am venting, what has happened to having concern for the others around you? I mean walking through Walmart these days often resembles a four letter word cage match from which you can’t escape, and I’m talking about the children’s section. Dinner at a fine restaurant was once accompanied by soft music and quiet conversation. Now there are cell phones buzzing and loud one sided conversations all around. I will spare you my opinion on answering your cell phone during a funeral or talking full voice during a movie or concert.

I know that I may be overstating things a bit. For there are sanctuaries of civility left, mostly down South, I dare say. Hyperbole aside however, such places are becoming increasingly scarce every day, even in the land of gentility and decorum. Old times there have been forgotten by many, it would appear.

So what can be done about it? The horse is already out of the barn it seems.

Well, the best way I can think of to help the current situation correct itself is simply by declining to participate. Refuse to be rude. Be polite. Respect your elders. Help those in need. Don’t complain, and teach others, especially the young ones following in your footsteps, to do all of the above.

At the risk of sounding like a preacher, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”

In other words put your buggy up when you’re finished, and if some wayward clergyman has rudely set his buggy free to roam, do him a favor and put his buggy in the paddock as well, and then send a prayer his way.

Love,
Pastor Tony
 
 
 
 
  
    

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