I was watching a TV show the other day where a former athlete/drug addict was being interviewed. The announcer made a statement that is, in my opinion, one of the main things wrong with out society today. He listened as the guest told of twenty years of drug abuse then bragged about the fact he had been "clean and sober" three months.

"You should be a role model for today's youth," said the interviewer.

What a crock!!!! What kind of message does it send to the poor youth of today who have absolutely nothing? It seems to me that we are saying, "He couldn't resist drugs when he had $25,000,000 in the bank. How do you expect to make it when you have to fight and claw for your basic necessities? You ain't got a chance, kid."

Want a real role model. I once heard a story about a man and woman who were a couple of good role models. They lived in a very depressed Southern state that offered absolutely no economic nor social prospects for their four children who were still living at home. They had done a pretty good job of raising seven children, and three had found lives before the economy of the region collapsed.

To make a better life for these four children, the couple moved their home 500 miles north. This would allow the children an opportunity to reach a level of economic success that would be impossible otherwise. They loaded six people into a ten year old Ford and left with nothing more than a trunk full of their possessions.

All four of these children are either retired or nearing retirement now. They all had very successful careers. They began thinking about retirement at about the same age the couple I spoke of made the move north. Yeah, the old folks could have stayed home and probably had a much happier and more rewarding life for themselves, but they gave it all up for the children.

Now there are a couple of role models!! Thanks Mom and Dad.