Within each of us is something of value and it is time to regain it.

Have you ever considered what your values are? Too often, the word 'value' is sloppily used when the user really has no conception of what true value is.

We often say that we value life, but do we really? I find it a hypocrisy to say that one values life by opposing abortion and then condones sending our young men and women off to a senseless war to be killed, maimed or leaving them with mental problems. If one values life, then I would think it only naturally that one cannot be pro-life and pro-war at the same time. Are the pro-lifers realizing that there is one aspect of pro-life--it creates a baby factory for war, meaning don't destroy a fetus because we may need that young man or woman to go to war for us. I am neither anti or pro-abortion. I value life.

There are other values that appear to have become 'drop-outs' from our cultures. When I grew up, there were values that seemed a natural way of life. The first one is, do not lie.

My mother whipped us if she caught us lying. We were taught to tell the truth. I have learned that when I tell the truth that I do not carry a load of guilt.

The second value I was taught is do not cheat. This encompassed not cheating in school or cheating others. This leads into do not steal. Cheating is a form of stealing. We actually steal from ourselves. When we steal from others, we are saying that we have no value; therefore we must take something we have not earned.

There are other values and one of the most important values is to take responsibility. Responsibility means that we are where the buck stops because we are not victims. The world is filled with victims and whiners. It is called the 'blame game.'

Each of us have a brain and a mind. If we truly value who we are, we know we are responsible for all our actions and all our thoughts. I can now hear someone say, "But someone ran into my car." My response is the question, what was your attitude at that time?

Attitudes indicate where someone's values are. They are very telling. A victim attitude tells another that they want to blame or to be taken care of. Having an attitude of wanting no responsibility indicates the person is very low in self-worth.

How can one build up self-worth? Use the first three values given above.
Do not lie.
Do not cheat.
Do not steal.
When we live these values, taking responsibility becomes a normal thing to do.

...to be continued.