When Nothing Was Everything – Harold “Bud” Boughton, A Man IN Action

Being a parent is not easy. In fact, being responsible for the safe and proper upbringing of a child that you bring into this world may create more feelings of inadequacy and insecurity than anything else that I know of. And yet, at the same time, it can be the most enriching, wonderful experience in one’s entire life.  And so it has been for me.

I was blessed. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s when life was so much simpler, my mom and dad created an ideal family life for my brothers and I. As one of my good friends described what family life was like for most of us when we were growing up, he said, “We had nothing but we had everything.” And he was right. But the “nothing” we had was something that cannot be bought.

No, we didn’t have cable TV with 40+ channels or tablets on which we could play non-stop video games. No, the “nothing” we had began at home with wholesome, family values; values that were practiced both in the home and wherever we went. Oh sure, we had plenty of fun playing with our friends in the neighborhood, but even when playing unsupervised games (yes, many times there were no parents present to supervise those games), we all understood there were certain rules and we adhered to those rules. Call it a code of conduct, unsupervised sportsmanship, whatever, we respected the rules and we respected each other. And, for sure, we always respected our parents and any adult we might come in contact with.

So, where has the “nothing” gone in today’s world?  Are we teaching our kids the kind of values we want them to take out into the world with them? Are we helping our children understand that the “nothing” we grew up with is really a big part of the “everything” that matters in life?  As parents, we have a critical role to play with our children. Maybe it begins by teaching them that “nothing” can be “everything.”

Harold “Bud” Boughton, Published Author & Professional Speaker, A Man IN Action