I’ve started to wonder if 20 year old me would like almost-40 year old me, and visa versa. If I were to meet my younger version, would I be pleased with my general behaviour? The reason I’m asking such a bizarre question is because I’ve started to wonder if the way I act now is solely based on wisdom and experience, or if I’m still the same person, just older and wiser, with the same values that have always been part of me. Would I look at my younger version with disappointment and an itchy hand, or would I see a person acting as I hoped I did, with just less wrinkles and no grey hair? Are the good manners my parents insisted upon, as active in my reality now as they were back then, when my parents were more involved in my upbringing than they obviously are now? People say that ‘times, they are changing’ and when we see others treated so poorly, face to face, and now even more so online, we feel there desperately needs to be a big download of respect. Perhaps there were bad seeds in every generation and now, where I’m concentrating more on raising a family and living a life of integrity, the lack of respect and the obvious downward spiral of society has become obvious to me. Perhaps, when it wasn’t as important or obvious to whippersnapper Brad, there was an older person singing the same song I’m belting out now. I think so.
As I type this, the lyrics of Aretha Franklin’s R-E-S-P-E-C-T is running through my head, and I realise this was a 60’s issue as it is now a 2014 issue between lovers, kids and their parents, kids on the playground, players on a sports field and in the anonymity of cyberspace. I firmly believe that there is a greater need for respect now than ever before as we are seeing the byproduct of more modern styles of parenting and all of today’s issues that seem more out of control than ever. It’s partly a perception issue, yes, but I also believe that there is fact in some of the statistics that we see published so regularly. If only there was a way that we could get guidance, and direction, and some help in being the kind of people that will make this world a more enjoyable place to be a citizen.
We are more convinced than ever, that living a life that has purpose and meaning and is injected with values and direction, is one that we all want to live. Why not watch the video that follows, to find out how you can step into your purpose and understand the greatest guidelines for living.