I am 'very lucky'. I'm 53 years old and both my parents are still alive. When my parents were 53, they had either lost one or both of their parents. Only my maternal grandmother made it to 90. My other grandparents reached their late 70's. Both of my parents turned 80 this year.
I spent last weekend with my family celebrating my father's 80th birthday. My sister and one of her sons flew in from their home in Vienna, Austria as a surprise. My other sisters picked her up to join us, as did my brother, his wife and one of his sons. We all traveled to Connecticut to see my niece play in her first two high school hockey games. She played well, picking up 2 assists and her team won both games, beating one of their rivals for only the second time in history. She is a freshman, excellent on defense, and has the Olympics in her future. My father loves watching her games, so we turned it into a celebration.
As my wife and I traveled home, I reflected on the conversations that weekend, as well as the many I've had with my father over the course of my life. Obviously, my personal points of view were influenced by my parents. But rather than simply adopting their views, both taught me (and my brother and sisters) to think critically. Like most families, our views on life, politics, and economics vary greatly not only from our parents', but from each other.
Growing up, heated discussions took place during meals. We covered all kinds of topics from art, history, literature to politics and music. On Maggie's there is plenty to remind me of those conversations, even some of the heated comments down below. My father's birthday, realizing his parents didn't even reach the age of 80, caused me to think long and hard about the positions I take in these discussions.
After some reflection, I began to realize most of the opinions I fight against are related to envy and desire...
The people who hold the views I oppose don't think of them as being based on envy and desire, but they definitely are. These views are also driven by the belief that one must know more than others, and it is our duty to 'help' those who don't know better by passing laws which make these poor folk 'better off'. Laws, of course, don't teach responsibility, they don't teach accountability, and they don't create jobs or income. Laws don't provide a moral code, they only create criminals of people who don't abide by the moral code of those who pass laws. Parents, usually, are the source of our moral compass. They provide the direction we need early in life to gain the things we'll need later. Hopefully.
I happen to love my life. Certainly the fact I am economically and educationally well-off plays a role. While those are factors in why I am happy, I don't consider them the most important reasons. Yet some people spend so much time worrying about equality of wealth, income, or complaining about the need for laws like gun control. I will provide information and facts to dissuade them, however quixotic a task that may be. However, the weekend reminded me of one thing all of us need to realize - and it's a point I try to make whenever people call me uncaring or heartless.
Life is getting better, we're living longer, and wealth is spreading around the world to more people.
I'm lucky because both my parents have lived to an age most of us hope to live to. I'm lucky because I've gotten to share in their great joys and we've consoled each other in our sorrows. But we're all very lucky to live in an era in which most of us are capable of living to these ages with significant ease and health. We live in an period of great progress. We ignore that progress at our peril. It is in complaining about what we want or what we don't have which will allow these gains to be taken from us. I love what I've got, but I'm clever enough to know it could all be gone in a moment, and I have to be prepared for any and all eventualities. That is the primary benefit of how I was raised, knowing nothing in life is assured and all life carries risk.
All I want, all I've ever wanted, is to live my life and not worry about others forcing me to live the way they want me to. That desire was given to me by the great insights of my mother and my father. Both had a desire to live their lives in whatever fashion they chose. They chose significantly different paths. As a result, I have come to abhor politics and political solutions and the people who want to force their views on others by passing absurd laws to get, or give others, what they want.
My wish for my father, as his 80th birthday passes, is that he will continue to see great advancements in his field of study - medicine - throughout his twilight years. As well as to see his desire for greater individual freedom, rather than increased power of government, take place. I hope, as the people whose views I oppose consider their positions, they realize that what they want for themselves and 'society' requires a forceful means of implementation, usually forcing people to change or taking something from them. I hope they realize that while they mean well, they do not do well.
My father considers himself lucky to have spent a great weekend with all his children and 3 of his grandchildren. I consider myself lucky to have such a wonderful father and family and still be able to celebrate great moments like this weekend.
As much as this was a personal event, there is a grander context to consider. It is nice to realize that what I get to experience is far more common today, around the world, than it has ever been in humanity's history. We have achieved this through the benefits of having great individual freedoms and free markets. Reducing those freedoms will not improve our lives or the lives of our children. It would be an empty legacy if, in living these long and prosperous lives, we chose a path which limited or reversed the path of progress which got us here.
