What future will you have?

Where does the time go?

It seems like I am always doing something.

The one good thing is that can't get bored.

The bad thing is that there seems like there is not enough time to do everything!

The little time I do take to watch the news with my coffee is becoming depressing.

Hit & runs, drinking & driving, abuse, chemical warfare and so much more.

Makes you not want to leave the house!

Or watch the news!

Mondays are the worst.

I try not to watch the news on Saturday and Sunday (give myself a break) but come Monday morning, Wham! It hits me, and than I wonder why I even bother watching the news.

But can not stop myself though, I need to know what is going on, even if it is scary.

They wonder why people are afraid to leave the house.

Just watch your local news for a while.

If that doesn't help you understand, watch some of the news from the USA, with cable and satellite so common now you can watch their news, that will really scare you.

I here people complain that the news on these US stations are mostly local to them.  They even say things like that do not happen up here.

Problem is we can watch local news here where I live and still not be getting the real news.

Much is hidden from us.  They don't want people thinking that this is not a nice place to live.

Most don't have jobs, barely feeding themselves and paying bills and rent.

Some can not even do that.

Grown adults moving in with their parents because alone they can not survive.

Young people's goals were to go to school and college than move out on their own.

Not here, for them to move on their own they need a job.

Most jobs in the area are part time and pay low wages.

Sure there are some good jobs, but you need experience to go with schooling, and for some of the jobs you actually have to pay for the privilege to apply! 

Most have to look out of town.

If they don't go to college they have to stay here, with little hope of getting a good wage.

Now let us make it worse.

The truth.

There are people in the area who have worked all their adult life.

Who should be retired and spending time doing all the things they dreamed of.

There are a few who do, but not as many as you would think.

Many are scraping by, barely.

Pensions have been cut and medical insurance taken away.

Oh sure seniors have coverage, the exact same as Ontario Works Recipients (our form of Welfare) and Disability (actually disability covers more but once you become a senior you actually lose coverage and have to pay for what you were getting, yourself)

Now many seniors don't get enough money to pay to live at an average level of comfort.  Many lose what little comforts they did have.  But now they need to pay for medicine they "need"

 too.  Some are not cheap.

We have doctors who think our seniors have money, because the scare them into taking vitamins and other over the counter drugs they don't need because of kick backs or incentives by sales people, sometimes I think they get paid for each thing the prescribe.

Now I know many seniors, spend time just saying hello and chatting.  I pay attention when they talk, if you listen to them you may be surprised at what you will learn.  Most once they get to know you will tell you things like just how much they go with out (and they are not complaining), what they give to others because they need help.  Than there are those who don't say anything, mostly because they do not want others to know how hard their life really is. 

 Most have worked hard all their lives.

Many have had their pensions cut or lost altogether. 

Others would be fine but they give their money to family members who, believe it or not, 

are in worse shape then them. 

These are people who should not have these kind of worries.

They are in the twilight of the life, the time we are taught since we are young that will be for us, to do what we want, even if it is nothing but lay back and relax. 

People in this area (and all over the world) between the ages of 50 and 65 are facing a bleak future.

Our parents are barely making it, our children are out of work or in jobs that pay less than needed.

Any money that is saved can be gone with one emergency(that is if they can save at all).

Which means we have to work more or less the rest of our lives.

It is amazing how many people right now live on money they have not even received yet.

Credit cards carry them from month to month, adding interest to money you do not have.

The young we are raising (public school/high school) seem to think they are entitled to what ever they want.

But So and so goes on this sky/snowboard (or amusement park) trip every year, everyone has there own cell phone with internet and texting, people will make fun of me if I don't have the right clothes, or but I can't go hang out with my friends unless I have at least $20.  Everybody gets at least $50 to go to the fair. And that is just some things, there are others like PlayStation/Xbox games, iPod, rides all over town etc. 

Some adults just let them have what ever they want with out realizing that they are not helping these kids but setting them up (and themselves).  What happens when these kids grow up and become adults?  How will pay for what they want?  And their bills?

I have met young people who believe that their life is made.  They believe their parents will be there to give them whatever they want.  And sadly there are many who, believe it or not, are waiting for their parents death to inherit money so they never have to work!  I even heard of one threatening their stepmother that she will be thrown on the street when their father dies (sadly she died first), they even had the gull to yell at their father for buying furniture, spending their money, it is so sad how many of these kinds of people there really are out there.  Many of these kids are in for a rude awakening.  For some reason they think the parents have money because they always got what they wanted.  When the truth is any money will be tied into a house (that will need to be sold) than bills paid, such as the funeral.  The real shocker will be when 1 parent passes and they realize that the money goes to the other, not to them.  They still have to wait.

Well I really want on a rant there.

My point is that there are 4 generations.

The Great grandparent struggling to survive and to help when they can.

The Grand parent trying to help the parent and their grown children.

The Children try to keep a steady job with a half decent income so they have a roof over their head, food to eat and raise their children.

The Children's children who seem to think that everyone has money and to be denied what they want is because their parents are cruel and not the truth that their parents just can't afford it.

Something to think about don't you think?

Believe it or not your life may be better than those around you.

Be happy for what you have and what you can give.

Well I better go before this gets any longer.

Will see you soon!

Alice M

Remember it is the little things in life that make it worth living!