Roger Meyer

In the latter half of the 1950s, there was a television program called “Father Knows Best.” It was “squeaky clean” and wholesome compared to most of today’s programming. The father, named Jim Anderson, portrayed knowledge and thoughtful wisdom in advising and guiding his family.

Watching news reports, one could easily say that the rising level of hateful behavior is appalling! A United States representative called for harassing public officials of the opposing political party. A restaurant owner refused to serve a government official, while others refused to serve police. Hollywood actors and comedians say threatening, vile, and disgusting things against political leaders and their family members, stunning our sensibilities! Sadly, some applaud and cheer these rants rather than soundly condemning such behavior.

Everybody loves a freshly harvested apple, peach, orange, grape, strawberry, or other piece of produce. Gardeners wait with anticipation to harvest that first ripe tomato. When fruit is fully ripened and at the peak of flavor, the time for harvest has finally arrived.

Nearly everywhere we look these days, we can see a lack of discipline exhibited in Western society. It is especially evident to those of us who remember how things used to be a few decades ago.

Discipline has been largely replaced by permissive philosophies, opposing time-honored practices that in the past instilled “good citizenship.” Those ways were considered too restrictive and thought to “stifle freedom of expression.” We are reaping the result of this permissive approach.

“That boggles my mind!” Many of us have made that exclamation when we were astonished or amazed upon seeing or hearing something incredible. The word “boggle” means to be astounded or overwhelmed. Is your mind boggled?