If Only . . .

“We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”  Martin Luther King, Jr.

I wish that more people valued people over things - I wish that more children and young people knew the value of those things and greater importance of the people who provide the things.  There's always hope and it's my hope that we can actually do what Dr. King recommends and move to a "person-oriented" society.

I'm trying to do my part. I remember my mother telling me once that my father came home and told her that they were going to have to move. They had a nice little house (according to Mom) and she had spent some time and effort in making curtains and fixing things up.  She really didn't want to leave!!  She said that my father told her that the house was just a thing - that things could be replaced but that people couldn't.  I've tried to live that kind of life - I love my house and the things in it (or they probably wouldn't be here) but I've always said that only the breathing beings (and I'm including any pets that reside here in that!) are important to me - those are what I would fight to save.  I keep that story in the forefront of my mind whenever I think about people and things.