Vintage

Promote: verb: contribute to the progress or growth of

Provide: verb: supply means of subsistence; earn a living; provide what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

After reading the above definitions, the Preamble to our Constitution makes clear the intent of our Founding Fathers. Unfortunately, such clarity has been lost over time, as forces within the country’s political framework have figured out how to buy votes by taking advantage of one of the basest human characteristics: laziness, or sloth. It is notable that “sloth” is one of the seven deadly sins, and it could very well prove to be the death of our country if we citizens do not wake up and take action.

Our government is ordained to do the tasks listed in the Preamble. Ordained invest with ministerial or priestly authority; order by virtue of superior authority; decree

The way I see it, “ordination” in this case and following these definitions implies that the Founding Fathers saw this cause as something higher than, “Gee, this would be a good thing to do!” Their lives, and the life of the country to which they were giving birth, were on the line. This was not a time for looseness of terms. Semantics mean something. The duties were specific and the methods were definite. Specifically, the government was to PROVIDE for the common defense and to PROMOTE the general welfare. Two different words were used, with two different meanings. This seems to have been overlooked, forgotten, or intentionally ignored by today’s liberals, especially the welfare part.

Promoting the general welfare never meant “pay the poor to be poor”. It never meant “give tax breaks to those who haven’t paid taxes”. It doesn’t mean “punish the providers and reward those who will not take care of themselves”.

Let’s look at promoting the general welfare by boosting the economy in ways that are effective. For example, cutting governmental spending. The less the government spends, the less it requires in taxes. That doesn’t mean it still won’t want to suck the last penny out of your pocket as you suck your last living breath – or even after. It’s merely a start.

Let’s see if the general welfare can be promoted by limiting welfare to those who truly cannot work or care for themselves. Are you able-bodied? Get a job. Can’t find a job? Set up an agency to help people start up their own businesses. Train them in how to handle money, market their services, and deal with customers. Give the Small Business Administration more money for small business start-up loans. Some of these need only be micro-loans. And don’t just get them started. Hold their hands for the first year or two, since these people may just have a hard time getting out of bed consistently for a while. Hopefully, this will break the cycle of poverty.

Promote the general welfare by encouraging teenagers to help out with the family businesses, if available, and if they are not involved with extracurricular school activities. Kids with jobs learn responsibility, how to deal with people, and how to handle money. And while they are working, they are not taking, selling, or sharing drugs. Ideally, anyway. Teach classes in school as to how money REALLY works, not just how the liberals think the economy should run. Maybe classes on problem-solving – not mathematical equations, but critical thinking skills, such as: “Bad weather has prevented you from working outside this week, which means you will only earn 30% of what you usually bring home. How do you handle this setback and still pay your bills?” The parents aren’t teaching these skills, but maybe a volunteer from a local business will. My hope is that eventually these classes can be removed from the curriculum, because society itself will be infused with these skills, and they can be absorbed and learned just like learning English from infancy. Yes, I can dream, can’t I?

These are just a few ideas, but the difference here is that the government, and hopefully society, will PROMOTE an atmosphere that will encourage the general welfare to improve. We were never guaranteed equal outcomes, only decreed to have equal opportunities. Our government was never meant to ensure that people of unequal talents and motivation would receive the same rewards, but we can work towards the goal of ensuring that each unequal person can strive to achieve their personal best. While real life may never achieve the written word, we can work towards the lofty goals put down in ink by brave men.

It has always amazed me at the thin threads that tie us to each other. How do we meet? How are our connections made? How is our existence even possible? My husband and I are one such example of “thin threads”.

Dear Hubby and I did not meet until my 11th year of high school. My greatest achievement was surviving life as the seventh of twelve children. I was not the most popular girl in my grade. I was not the most accomplished. Although I was a very good alto sax player, I did not have the panache of say, someone in the jazz band who could improvise instead of read sheet music. I consider myself intelligent, but I was not nearly the smartest kid in my class. Although I graduated in the top 10% of my class, I was put in my place on a regular basis by those with higher IQs. I had a set of friends – usually not in my grade, but that is another story. While not ugly, I was not beauty pageant material, like the flute player that had a budding career as a model. I did not even hang out with the girls who were chosen as homecoming queen wannabees. I just was not in the “in” group.

While I choose to gloss over the details, there were reasons for me to wait for the pay phone to come available during my lunch period. This fact alone dates me, as obviously today there would be no wait for a pay phone, as today’s cellular spoiled teenagers may not even know what a “pay phone” would be. They are all wondering “Why in the world would she wait for a phone? Just take it out of your pocket!” Anyway, I digress. I was waiting for the pay phone, which was unavailable because another girl refused to give it up. I sat down on the floor to wait. This happened several days in a row, and on the third day, as my buttocks were beginning to callous, “Alice” came and sat down next to me. I was surprised when she began talking to me, since Alice was one grade above me and one of the prettiest girls in school. Fortunately, she was not one of the stuck-up pretty girls, and thus began a most unexpected friendship.

Every day during lunch, we’d meet at the pay phone and see if one or both of us could use it. Every day during lunch, we’d talk. I discovered that her drafting class was next door to my English class, both of which were right after lunch. I took to extending our conversations as long as possible by walking her to her classroom, then walking next door to mine. This went on for a few weeks, and then one day I was at my floor level locker and heard Alice’s voice. Looking up, I saw her blonde hair, and then this big-shouldered, bright smile standing next to her. Alice introduced us, but I didn’t get the name of this really good-looking guy, so I nudged her with my elbow as we walked down the hall to his locker, and she re-introduced us again. After retrieving his books, we all walked to class. Handsome guy began meeting us at our lockers and in general hanging out as much as possible. He asked me out a week later. Alice became Homecoming Queen that year. So the average girl married her high school sweetheart after being introduced by the Homecoming Queen. Go figure.

And years later, I keep thinking – what would have happened if I had gotten impatient and left the pay phone? What if Dear Hubby had not transferred to my high school (which he did to be available to help a friend out with some transportation issues)? What if Alice had not taken the time to talk to me? What if Alice walked me to my class first, then walked alone to her door? What if Dear Hubby had not shared her drafting class, and so had not seen me at the door? What if Dear Hubby had not acquired the courage to ask Alice to introduce us (which he denies, but Alice confirms, by the way). What if I had been dating someone else at the time? What if Alice’s boyfriend was not available by phone at lunch?

I feel the same wonderment at the story of my paternal grandfather. The story is that he accompanied his cousin who was courting a young lady in Beaumont. While waiting for said young lady at her house, my grandfather noticed a picture of said young lady’s sister. He declared, “THAT is the woman I’m going to marry!” Which he promptly set about doing. Which then begs the question: What if he had decided NOT to accompany his cousin on this trip? What if he had chores that precluded his going to Beaumont? What if his courtship had failed? What if there had been no picture on the piano? What if my grandmother had already acquired a beau? What if his family never even immigrated to America? Would I even exist?

My maternal ancestors had a similar story. Natives of two different German villages, almost a stone’s throw apart (one a hill, one in the valley next to the hill), one arrived in the U.S. through New York, the other through Galveston. The New York arrival traveled halfway across the country before he met his life partner in New Braunfels. The “what ifs” on this relationship boggle my petite little mind!

Would I have Lovely Daughter if I had a headache on the night of conception? Would Handsome Son exist if Dear Hubby and I had decided on a late night movie instead of, well, you know?

So, I exist because of two tenuous threads of travel and romance. My children exist because a non-snotty homecoming queen chose to be my friend and I was patient enough to wait for it to happen. My existence rests on a house of cards built of human emotion and whim. On what slender threads will the existence of my grandchildren rest? And what would have happened should any of the previous events failed to happen?

We exist by the slenderest of ties, the slightest of whims, and the barest of possibilities.

I miss the little hands he had,
Which will never touch my nose.
I miss the tiny feet he had,
And his little baby toes!
And the future we would have had together,
Which I destroyed when in my prime,
If only, if only, if only, if only,
I could turn back the hands of time!

Now my arms are empty
When I know they should be full,
My heart cries out for the love
That I answered in ways cruel,
I have made my bed, though sad it is,
The price I pay is grave,
My child that was and is no more!
To a life of regrets I am slave.

Convenience seemed so logical then,
My desire for freedom so burning,
I lived my life without thought
Of how it might be turning,
Now I look back and see the damage
My decisions have horribly wrought,
All the things I would not have done,
Had I given my life more thought!

Oh, my baby, please forgive me!
Your full life lay ahead!
I never had the chance to love you,
I loved myself instead.
What was it that you would have become?
Before I committed this crime!
If only, if only, if only, if only,
I could turn back the hands of time!

Hear me, please, before you decide
To make decisions dear,
Think more than twice before you commit
An action you should fear!
For once done, ‘tis no return
To undo the havoc that you wreak,
Harken my words, for deep is the sorrow
And horror of which I speak.