Improving Our Families, Helps Improve Society

To know your future, you must know your past,
each stepping stone that has been cast.
Remember the good, as well as the bad,
and feel the emotions of happy and sad. 

- A poem by Margaret Jang

 

When we spend time learning about our families history, we grow a deeper understanding of our families fortunes, or misfortunes and it helps us develop a common root.

 

In society today, there is a lot of fallen branches, that don't seem to have a root, and some that do have lost that strong family culture. 

 

Why? 

 

My husband and I were watching a documentary on Netflix called American Addict, it doesn't matter what side of the political fence you sit on, it is just so overwhelming, that we, as a society have to be so dependent on substances (drinking, drugs etc.) to even help us get through the day.

 

Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two, Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center researchers say.

 

As we were watching, we couldn't help but feel sympathetic for the people, but also we talked for what seemed forever about how people feel like their lives have no meaning, that they have to be on a substance to withdraw the pain.

 

It breaks down a person, a relationship, a family, and our society.

 

So, if we help a person, we can help society.

 

At the International Conference for the family in Moscow in September 1999, Zinovij Lvovich Kogan, Chairman of the Congress of the Jewish Religious Organizations and Institutions in Russia, pointed out that our participation in the family and our marriage is our major duty in life, that parents have the main responsibility for their children, and the main problem of the day is morality.

 

John Philip Falter

 

Another there, a professor of international law from the Netherlands, Franz Alting von Geusau, called on fathers, along with mothers, to take primary responsibility for making the family a school of humanity. He urged fathers and mothers to pray together as they lead their families in a broken and imperfect world.

 

"Many problems of modern society are born in empty, loveless homes and the solution of the these problems must begin at home."

 

We can't choose the families we come from, and unfortunately there are a lot of families where the damage is irreversible, so we must not judge those who are trying to make their lives better. Instead, extend your branch and welcome those to be apart of your family culture.

 

In other words, "to extend an olive branch" means to make an offer of peace or reconciliation. This term has Biblical origins, coming from the section of the Old Testament. Some people have suggested that the olive was a very deliberate and well-considered choice as a metaphor for peace, because olive trees famously take years to mature.

Gradually, over time, if we develop a strong root, an appreciation of our family history and culture, we can improve our society.

I'm linking up with Grace at Home #91

After posting this, I saw a good post on Maria Shriver's blog called, Carry Your Story. It resonated with me, on how important knowing your past history is.

We all must gather 'a collection of memories'.