Man Up

John Mark,

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving- the day of the year when you stop, briefly, to reflect on the fact that you are very blessed, and have much for which to give thanks, before reverting back to your standard posture of constant ingratitude and whining about the supposedly grievous injustices that consistently befall you.  I understand- I mean, think about how hard your life is- sometimes, it rains, and you get wet.  Every now and then you get stuck in a traffic jam.  Occasionally the store is out of that one product you're seeking.  And, horror of horrors- sometimes a package takes a few weeks to reach you.  Poor baby- I don't know how you survive.  How do you find the fortitude to persevere through such daunting hardships?

Here's my message to you: man up.  Everyone has problems in their lives; so what.  Most people can point to difficult situations- family struggles, financial woes, problems at work- and declare woe on themselves.  I don't mean to minimize problems- some are real and hurtful- but the bottom line is, and will always be, thus: you, John Mark, are blessed.  Most of the things you consider unacceptable throughout your days are horribly small and inconsequential issues.  You are easily frustrated by trifling matters- why?  You must have some ill-founded expectation that things are supposed to go perfectly and easily for you.  Where does that expectation come from?  From a deep-seated belief that you're somehow owed a living.  You're not- you're not owed a thing.  So, the fact that you have anything is amazing, let alone the number of blessings that have been heaped upon you.  Consider- healthy family, two beautiful (if ill-tempered) children, a stable job, good friends, a comfortable life.  You certainly have grounds to whine . . . not.  Man up.  Man up.

In particular, let me address some areas that frequently frustrate you:
1) The kids are misbehaving and have issues.
Gee, I wonder where they learned that from.  Were you a gem of a child?  Hardly.  Right now, your mother is justifiably laughing- secretly filled with nigh-indescribable mirth over your situation.  At last, you understand what she went through.  Here's the thing: your kids have problems because we all have problems- adults just hide them better (some of the time).  You have them, they have them, everyone has them.  Man up and stop expecting them to be something you're not. Spend time striving to be an example they can follow rather than focusing on their shortcomings.

2) Work can be frustrating.
Stop being a crybaby.  You're overpaid and under-worked.  Your job is stable, fun, and you're able to provide for your family.  What more could you ask for?  Stop this constant "airing of grievances" at work.  Get the job done, and man up.

3) You don't have as much freedom (or free time) as you'd like.
I'm not even going to comment on this one.  Wait- yes I will.  Again, man up.  Children show us how selfish we are, because they demand what we want for ourselves- time and energy.  Your mother devoted herself entirely to raising four kids . . . and you're whining about the sacrifices involved in raising two.  Poor, poor John Mark . . . it's so hard.  Sheesh.  You want difficulty- read up on the challenges experienced by those in WWII, or in any war for that matter.  Their problems reveal yours to be what they are- inconsequential.

In conclusion, my two messages to you this Thanksgiving are:
1) live in a spirit of thankfulness always
2) man up

Oh good- it's Black Friday.  Now you can display how thankful you are, like millions of Americans, by spending money you shouldn't on things you don't need.  You need serious help.

- Herman