The boys and I had the privilege to visit the Naval Air Station Museum today. It was not our first time being there. We love to go and learn about our history and the cost of the freedoms we enjoy today because our men in uniform. Today I was reminded by these wonderful brave young men about the importance of respect for our elders. How much we as a people, not just the youth, have gotten away from having and teaching respect. It makes me sad when I think about how there is no respect for authority, our elders, our country, each other, God or even ourselves for that matter. When did we start to lose our respect? I’m not really sure. However, when I think about so many of the youth today and some of our younger generation of parents I see such a lack of respect. When we first entered the museum our IDs and bags were checked. There was an older gentleman that was in front of me and I could tell he was a veteran. He had struck up a conversation with the young soldier and appeared to be giving him some instruction and advice. Even though he was holding up the line, the young soldier was very attentive to what the elder was saying and showing him so much patience and respect! You could tell that he truly respected what the man was saying and he was giving him the respect he deserved and that there was a special bond that connected the two. It just really made my heart smile to see a young person take the time he did with this veteran.
As I continued into the museum, I observed several more of these young men showing their respect to these elderly veterans. The above picture is one that I caught on camera. A couple of young soldiers taking time to listen to the stories, advice and who knows what else from this veteran. Giving them the due respect these men deserve for their lives spent and the experiences that they had been through. It is something that I think about a lot. We need to spend more time listening to the elders in our lives. They deserve our love and respect. We can learn so much from them. Sometimes we think the past is the past and we need to move on. But the truth is we need to teach our children about our history and never forget so that we can move forward. We must learn from our past. The good, the bad and the ugly, it is what shapes us and makes us better, stronger and wiser. I have only heard stories about life in the military. The military has gotten a bad rap at times about how they whip these men and women in shape. I believe that they do a great job teaching respect for authority. Something I also think we as parents need to do with our own children. Life wouldn’t be so hard for them if we did a better job teaching respect. Respect is necessary to prepare our men in uniform for survival in difficult war times. I believe the same for our children. It prepares them for survival in the real world and life.
So to the military and these young men that reminded me of this today, I say thank you! To the military who are training these young men and women to have such respect and to the young men who set the examples today I say “Well done!”
Amen. Well said.