WHAT COMES AFTER

          One of the failings of humanity is the tendency to not think beyond the goal.  This is sometimes only a mild problem, but also sometimes a significant issue, even to the point of disaster. 

          In 1982 I finally achieved my goal of receiving my doctorate degree.  Detours for military service, work to support the family, delays in research results, and working to pay off bills before tackling the next step all played a role.  The doctorate had been a goal for so long.

          To my surprise, I was left feeling very lost for a very long time.  It was almost a depression.  I had focused so long and hard on the goal I had not thought about what to do when the goal was achieved. 

          I have seen the same effect on young men coming home from a mission, or on being released from active duty military.  A young man may think about, and prepare for, a mission for 19 years.  But for two years he doesn’t give much thought to what he’ll do when he returns.  Even though he may have vague ideas about a career and getting married, he may find himself in the doldrums for several months.

          Have you ever noticed that it is easy to install apps, set up accounts, enter data, but it often very difficult to uninstall, delete accounts, change data, or exit programs.  Sometimes, especially in early software, that was an oversight.  Sometimes, in modern applications, that is planned.

          This not thinking beyond the goal can cause more serious problems when it is on a national scale, concerning matters over which we have little control.  For example, we may focus on the next election, thinking it will be a solution to our problems.  Of course the national debt will still be staggering regardless of who wins.  Our liberty will still be at risk.  The countries energy needs will still be unsustainable.  Our dollar will still have been inflated. 

          We may think that if the Supreme Court just find the health care law constitutional/unconstitutional (you pick) everything will be solved.  There will still be an aging population needing increased health care with fewer workers to support the system.  We may go to war, but if we don’t know what we will do after we have won, we will never be done.

          I may increase the number of beehives only to find I am unable to sustain the support and care each requires.  I may start a successful business only to find no easy way to get out of it.  I may win the election only to find the problems insurmountable and events unexpected.  I may leave a large estate, only to have a family at odds over their inheritance.

          We cannot know the future.  But to set goals without considering what will happen after they are achieved is ill conceived.  There should always be an exit plan.

         

THE HUNGER GAMES

Okay, I am in big trouble.  See, I am a beekeeper.  That is a form of agriculture.  And today I had my seventeen year old grand daughter rendering beeswax on a hot plate.  My fifteen year old grandson was operating power machinery (a power mower) to mow off the bee yard.  My fourteen year old and 11 year old grand daughters were checking beehives and handling bees, without even a bee suit on. 

I am sure that I just broke every regulation just proposed by the US Department of Labor regulating youth employment on farms. 

Are we insane?  Has America lost its guts?  Does the Department of Labor have the right to tell me how to raise my family?  Does the government want more unemployed youth?  Do they want the youth to have no practical experience or skills?  Does it make sense to ship food 1500 miles round trip to feed America?  Couldn’t it be raised close to urban centers by families?

I cannot see any possible reason for these regulations except to consolidate authority and provide job security for the DOL.  Unless, of course, the purpose is to destroy Americas ability to produce food.  But no one would want to do that of course.  Well, except for our enemies. 

I do not know how to stop this.  I have written to my congressmen and I get standard form letters in reply.  I complained about government interference in the Church and received a form letter from both Senators Udall and Bennet (both Colorado) that referenced women’s rights.  WHAT?  I protested these regulations and received stock replies about protecting children.  FROM WHAT? 

Can we truly wait for an election to stop this madness?  Do you suppose there will be an election this fall, or will the unrest be such that the President will “have to” declare Marshall Law and “postpone” elections?