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Have we Forgotten

April 17, 2008

Have we Forgotten This is the 2nd blog post from a very special guest blogger: my maternal Grandfather: Clyde W. Kirkman (1915 - 1989). Please see the 1st article, Progress Never Begins for Any Man until He Substitutes Dreams and Talk with Action, for more information. The photo at left is from WWII, 1945; my Grandfather is on the left and his buddy Joe Melka is on the right. The photo was made in April 1945, in Germany, with a simple box camera just before the meeting or link up at the Elbe River between the U.S. and Russian troops.

One thing I find amazing is that this article is as pertinent and timely today as it was when he wrote it, probably 30 some or more years ago.

Have we Forgotten

Have we forgotten that it is a self evident truth that the strength and stability of a nation is in proportion to the character of its individual people? For no government is stronger than its people. A strong government depends on people who will work for what they want, people with tolerance, ambition, kindness, intelligence and good common sense.

In spite of this fact, the majority of the people in the United States are the kind who spend their lives expecting to be happy at some future date. They seem to be waiting for someone to come along and dump happiness and prosperity into their laps without them so much as turning a hand. These are not the kind of people we need in the world today.

We need people who will work for what they and their nation need and want, and who will do it today - now. Have we forgotten that real happiness - pure and complete happiness - lies not in trying to make our own selves happy but in trying to make others happy?

Have we forgotten that material pursuits, the quest for riches, and the desire for personal popularity, and the pomp of powers do not in themselves bring contentment? By the observation of present day morals and standards, it is evident that we have forgotten.

We have forgotten with the full realization that our greatest teacher, the history of our ancestors, proves that spiritual knowledge and practical application of spiritual qualities alone bring real peace and happiness. Yet how many families do you know that can spend one evening at home together, having no outside entertainment and be content with family fellowship? It is a pitiful few.

In spite of this fact we know that our nation and our government cannot possibly be any stronger than our family life.

Therefore, we must not forget that the need for clear thinking and a pure sense of direction has never been so urgent as now.

We must garrison our souls with pure and righteous thinking in the face of the dangerous and destructive doctrines that assail us from all sides. We must champion the cause of common sense and social stability, despite political dissension and claptrap. Yet we must be tolerant toward those who are victims of false standards. We must keep our spiritual investments sound and secure, although material power flaunts its defiant force and threatens social disintegration. We must cultivate more patience, good will, serenity, tolerance, sympathy and humility.

Have we forgotten that in simple thrift and economy, we must make our homes independent? Let us in frugal industry make them self sustaining. In sacrifice and denial, let us keep them free from debt and obligation. Let us make them homes of refinement in which we shall teach our daughters that modesty, patience and gentleness are the charms of a woman. Let us make them temples of liberty and teach our sons that an honest conscience is every man's first law, that his supremacy rest beneath his hat, and that no splendor can rob him and no force justify the surrender of the simplest right of a free and independent citizen. Above all, we must teach them the Bible, that book of books in which all the ways of life are made straight and the mystery of death is made plain. By these means we may confidently hope to save the world from dire calamity and erect a cathedral of life in which all men may find a peaceful habitation.

Have we forgotten that our history proves beyond any doubt that the simple things are really the great things in life? That back of the national capitol and above it stands the home, and back of the president and above him stands the citizen? What the home is, this, and nothing else, will the capitol be. What the citizen wills, this and nothing else, will the government be.

Clyde W. Kirkman

About the Author

Fred Black is an experienced online business operator, programmer, web site developer, father, husband, musician, and songwriter. Visit his Internet Business Blog at: http://www.pqInternet.com.

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Comments:

From: Karen

What a straight talking man your grandfather was! No psychobabble from him. People who talk and write like that now are called hate mongers, all because they still believe in common sense. They're called "old fashioned" like that's a bad thing.

The folks of his generation were tough and independent, which is more than than can be said for some in recent years.

Some people are afraid of the Bible because they are self centered brats and don't want anybody or anything to tell them how they should live their lives.

I enjoyed your grandfather's article. We could use a few like him these days.

Karen
Posted by Karen on April 17, 2008 9:10 PM
From: Michael Prince

I couldn't agree more with what you have said. As a good example check out our economy as of late. It was the simple greed of lending agencies and brokers that has lead us into this recession. If they were being honorable and doing what they were suppose to be doing instead of trying to make a buck at any cost we probably wouldn't be in this situation.
Posted by Michael Prince on April 19, 2008 9:14 PM
From: nancy

I really enjoyed your grandfather's article. He felt this way over 60 years ago. Is this just a cycle we go through or does every generation, as they grow older, also think badly of the next generation? Do we not ever learn from our mistakes? I was thinking that right now we're in some pretty financial difficulties, but there are a lot of people still holding their hands out for someone else to give them a living. And the world keeps turning!
Posted by nancy on April 20, 2008 5:15 PM
From: Frank Haywood

Fred,

This is really pertinent to me right now, funny how I find these things, it can't be coincidence.

Just last night I had chat with my eldest son (nearly 11), and explained to him that things don't make people happy, people make people happy (and they can drive you mad too of course).

He's just coming up to his 11th birthday and is of course getting excited about it, which is great.

How it came about was I bought up the subject of us moving again. Actually about doing a bit of travelling for a couple of years before settling down again.

He suddenly became morose about the home and all the good times he'd had here and how he'd miss it.

That was when I pointed out to him that an empty house is just a house, it's the people inside it that make it a home. And as long as we were all together it wouldn't matter where we were, that would be our home as long as we were there.

I think he got it. He's a bright lad.

And now, just a few moments ago, I found your grandfather's piece about the home, the family and the country. (I'm from the UK, and I intend to be travelling and re-settling soon, so the country isn't so important to me.)

I'll show him this tomorrow when he wakes up.

All the best,

Frank Haywood.
Posted by Frank Haywood on April 21, 2008 5:08 PM
From: JHS

Hi:

Thanks for participating in this week's Carnival of Family Life, hosted by Jen at Diary of 1. Be sure to drop by tomorrow, Monday, April 28, 2008, and check out some of the many other wonderful articles included in this week's Carnival!
Posted by JHS on April 27, 2008 12:36 PM
From: Evelyn

That was beautifully written and so accurate even now. I'm sorry he was gone so young! We need more people like your grandfather! Off to read the other one too! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Posted by Evelyn on May 4, 2008 9:37 PM