PRAISING YOUR PARENTS...

Very often we hear of people, or we read about how people, mostly politicians and celebrities, praising their parents. I, too, have done that quite often in the past.  Then some proceed to lie, embarrass themselves by doing indecent things, swear often, cheat, steal and they are often disrespectful to other people, esp. those they see as "not being in their level", whatever that means for them....I did some of those things too in the past....and you know the very first reaction you get from other people while we are committing these  atrocious acts,....in tagalog they say...."Hindi naturuan ng magulang ng tamang asal!" ..."These people must have had bad parents or they were just not raised well".....

I realized now that the best way to give honor to your parents or to give them praise....is to show people, how well you were raised. Be honest, be disciplined, be principled, be respectful and decent, amidst disrespect, and despite debates and attacks.....if you are able to exhibit these qualities, the first words people will say will not be about you,..... in tagalog, they will say..."Kung anong puno ay siyang bunga!", they will also say..."This person must have had wonderful parents who took great effort in raising him, or her, well!"

More than the occasional low grades, what terribly disappoints me about my kids is when they are disrespectful, because although there several outside factors that may have influenced their actions, everything they do, reflects on me..on how I raised them and.....on who I am!  I am a firm believer of the saying that "Character is borne out of habit" and that, good character only becomes a habit, if you have it around the house.

So I tell them to behave well, not only for themselves and for their future, but also because they love me and for my legacy.....because the best legacy I can have, or leave this world with, is not to have a financially successful child who would do anything for money, it is not to have a famous artist or politician for a child who would do anything for fame....but to have a child who grows up decent, honest, respectful and will eventually do something to be of service to his fellowmen....that is the legacy every parent would like to have.

So to kids and to all of us....we want to praise our parents, and we want to show them how much we love them?....no words are needed....we only have to be HONEST, DECENT, RESPECTFUL AND PRINCIPLED...or WE JUST HAVE TO BEHAVE!