We hear so much about how this current, young generation has such an attitude of entitlement. I don’t know if that is true or not but it started me thinking about the attitudes of previous generations. I’m probably too close to the situation to comment on the attitudes of the baby boom generation as I am one of them. However,
I can comment on what I have observed about my parents and grandparents who lived through the Great Depression. Part of the legacy of that era is fear and anxiety but there is also a legacy of gratitude.
They were and are grateful for all that they do have even if
by our standards it is not much. But it
is more than that. Their attitude
reflects the knowledge that all that they have is not just a result of their
own efforts. They recognize that other people
have contributed to their success such as parents, friends, spouses, co-workers
and many more. Most of them believe God
has been at work in their lives providing for them. They understand they could not have all they
have or achieved all they have achieved without the support and help of others.
When you are grateful I think you are humble and you are
compassionate towards those who don’t have as much. Just as we recognize all of our success is
not a result of just our own efforts we recognize that others failure is not a
result of just their own shortcomings.
Other forces are at work in our lives. That generation seems to be more
interested in helping and not so much in blaming and shaming. We can
learn so much from them.
Let’s live with an attitude of gratitude!
