the letter P

Today’s blog is brought to you by the 16^th letter of the alphabet. P. As in…

… Principles. (no Pretending here, you either have them or you don’t…)

… Purpose (Painful to find, Pitiful when you have none…)

… Pride. (a Personality delight or defect…)

…Politics (or Politicians, those who act for Personal gain…)

Principles: The dictionary defines these as: “a rule or code of conduct, a comprehensive and fundamental law”.

We behave because there are rules by which our actions should be judged. There is a conduct created by a code generated by generations before us. It also contains the impetus of individuals of the present who may wiggle and jar the code, but should never be permitted to discard it.

We identify our principles as representations of us; we stick hard to them, but should be aware of the greater good and how our selfish perceptions may impede the sum of the parts.

We look at the fundamentals of life, establish laws by which we succeed, allow the law to be more comprehensive, and less stagnating. Our principles need to survive and grow only when we include the options of others in our definition.

Purpose: The dictionary defines this as: “something set up as an object, or end to be attained, resolution determination”

We set about with goals and reason. We live in a world that is a shared universe, where opposites, differences, enemy and friend inhabit. We start at a beginning and hope to find our way to an end, only to start a new journey leading us to many paths and many purposes.

We want resolution, but in attaining that determination we must first determine that our way may not be the only way, our road not the only boulevard, our justification not always the perfect. We seek a combination of purpose from others perhaps meshed into achieving the end to our actions.

Pride: The dictionary defines this as “a reasonable or justifiable self respect, delight or elation, arising from some act.”

We complete a task and along with the kudos of others, we silently smile and consider the achievement we just presented. We have made better best, we have made wonder in to wonderful, and we have gone beyond ourselves inspiring many but never ignoring the individual.

We have found the essence of emotion, floured it with force and fortitude, garnished it with great and created a prideful of success, that can be shared among ourselves and the many we once called enemy.

Politics: The dictionary defines this as “a process by which groups of people make collective decisions”. Politician:The dictionary defines this as “an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making.”

At one time this country found itself with politics that encouraged the exchange of difference only to then prosper in the coming of consensus. At one time the give and take of argument was debated upon, the politician had larger causes of which to demonstrate concern, other than his re-election, her war chest, their personal bias and bigotry. At one time the lowest common denominator of attracting the fearful, the uneducated, the resentful, was less important than speaking the truth, defeating the lie, ignoring what is really the payoff for the common good.

When did we stop pushing our politicians to keep their promises of principle and purpose? When did pride in politics become drowned and destroyed only to be replaced with petty and poison? When did politicians take heed from lobbyists, and radio talk show hosts with hidden agenda’s and dishonorable hate and ignore the need and necessity of the citizen?

When did the public lose its way and allow the politician to play at his/her game changing the rules so only they win?

Isn’t it time Principle, Purpose and Pride became the mantra for Politics. Isn’t it time to replace the Politicians who say no, who vote against, who only play the game their way? isn’t it?

Isn’t it time to give all the words that begin with the letter P a chance to be heard, like Principle, Purpose and Pride?