Where do rainbows come from?

Originally, I had planned on doing a much different blog tonight. However, inspired by Megan*, I've decided to dive into a topic near and dear to me:  personal responsibility.

There are far too many instances when we are subjected to people droning on and on about how life has mistreated them and how it isn't fair.  By about the third story, we are seeing the pattern.  Midway through the tenth story, we have visions of how to surreptitiously puncture our eardrums so as not to have to listen to one more minute of this drivel.  The common denominator in the stories is the person telling them.  They, however, don't seem to grasp that a little self-reflection could go a long way towards resolving ever being in such a situation ever again.

I was raised by the most sympathetic  mother in the world.  Well........that's not exactly true.  Or even close to being true.  Whining to her about some issue that seemed to be in the end of the world category would usually produce this response.  "You want sympathy? Look in the dictionary between sh*t and syphilis."  While seemingly harsh, her remark served as a guide.  In her own way, she was teaching us to cut through the bs, prioritize, and most importantly...........not clutter up her time listening to the  angst of too many daughters.  She had been young once.  It was we who had no idea what she was going through as an adult. 

Perhaps by design, more than likely by accident, she was teaching us that Life wasn't fair and it could often be downright difficult.  By not becoming enmeshed in the minutiae of our daily lives, she provided us with many opportunities to become self-reliant.  And I thank her for that.

As Queen, I'd like to proclaim that all able-bodied and sound minded adults are required to fully accept the consequences of their choices.  Federal safety nets will be a thing of the past.  Levels of help can then be established (in order):  (1) immediate family   (2)  extended family and friends   (3)  community/church   (4) state of residence.  And at NO time is any person in 1, 2, 3, or 4 required to help.  We are supposed to learn from our mistakes, but "a mistake made more than once becomes a choice."    A Queen could never propose that one group of people pay for the lifestyle choices of another group of people.  Especially one who only plans for the royal monarchy to last one year or less.  Preferably less.  The Nanny state should be embraced only after we have irrefutable evidence that unicorns f*rt rainbows.  Till then, we need to gird our loins each day  in big boy/big girl undies. 


*name changed to protect the innocent