I have been stewing about this notion for some time now.  I am so tired of the Monitoring Attitude of our people. The recent advertisement on TV, the flat rectangle that I rarely watch, finally brought home some truth.  Portrayed was a bank with many customers engaged in business activity. There was a security guard. All at once thieves broke into the bank. The customers hit the floor!  One looked up at the Security Guard, who had some type of weapon strapped around his waist, and his arms were folded across his chest,  and he stood with  a silly grin on his face. The customer looked up to him from the  floor, pleading, “Aren’t you going to do something?”  He smiled broadly and replied, “No, I am a security guard who monitors the situation. I am monitoring.: Meanwhile, the robbery continues.

Another example of our do-nothing nation, seems rampant across the inaccurately termed “communication lines.” It seems if I ever have a problem with my credit card, I have to go through at least 12 button pushes before I get disconnected, only to have to begin the process again, in an effort to get to someone to help me resolve my pending problem. Then when I finally do reach a LIVE, talking Human Being, which never takes less than three tries on the phone and button pushing——-the person READS A SCRIPT—-and is unable to deter from what lies before him or her. I could say to the person on the other end of the line, “Could you call 911 for me, I am bleeding to death, ” and they would respond with: “Our banking hours are from 5 to 8” or some other innocuous response!

It becomes much more serious than bank robbers and problems with finances.  The lack of response regarding our children is even greater! We can call Child Protection Services and receive no response, because it is ONLY a child who has been injured or hurt and they are just a child and their reaction or statements are NOT considered valid.  At least they are not valid, until they themselves become so frustrated that they do a criminal act. Then all of a sudden, the child is the problem!

It seems in so many situations, people react in the same, unintelligent way: “Not my monkey; not my problem.”  Really?

Whose problem is it?

We are quick to respond with fines, fail sentences, harsh treatment for anyone who does us wrong, but do we ever think that perhaps the problems could be avoided IF we only responded in a pro-active way?  There is an old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  I think we should bring back that wisdom to our lives here in this country.

First of all, we need to respond like thinking, human beings with a compassionate heart.

Secondly, let us being to do things and act in a way that brings civility back to our lives. Common manners and courtesies would be a great place to begin! Please and thank you are NOT old-fashioned.

I will continue tomorrow……I have more to say about each of the topics above and others that deserve our attention.

I have to stop to breathe…