FAMILY AND FRIENDS: We, the people. . .

You know, it used to be that families stayed together. Living in the same house. Now, homes are not as big as they used to be. You had a HUGE kitchen. And everyone ate meals together. Now it is hard to get the family together in one spot for an hour or two. Everyone has something going on. School, baseball, soccer, ballet, and the list goes on and on. And the parents are just as busy.

It used to be that the grandparents lived with you. Everyone had chores to do. I can remember having to take the trash out. We burned our trash. But that is not allowed any more. Whole families used to get together for the holidays: your grandparents, and great grandparents if they were still around, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles. Sometimes it seemed that you had relatives show up that you only saw on the holidays. Everyone always brought something with them for the table. It seemed that you had enough food to feed an army.

Then, you had neighbors. They would stop by. Maybe have a bit of cider or eggnog. They might drop off a plate of goodies to munch on. In the summertime, we would set on the front porch and just kind of watch the world go by. Kids playing, the guy down the street mowing his yard, and others would set on their porches also. It seemed to be a better way of life. Not so rushed. Now everyone is in such a hurry. They are in such a rush all the time, that they do not see what's going on around them.

Kind of like today. Do you have a garden? Do you know if your neighbors have one? Do you even know or talk to your neighbors? How many friends do you have? I'm not talking about friends at work, or the store, or the gym. I'm talking friends that really matter to you.

If we had a natural disaster right by you, would you help the guy down the street? Would you be willing to help feed people from your own supply of food? This country is having some problems that could get a lot worse than what they are. And we need to stand together like we did on 9/11. We need to protect ourselves, but we need to help one another also. Would you help your friends?

I would. And I hope that they would want to help me also. I know of at least one family right now, in Kansas, who have a farm and the whole family has banded together. There are 20 or more people in this family not counting the kids. All of the adults hold jobs right now and they seem to be pretty supplied to take care of them selves and some of their friends and neighbors.

So, maybe it is time to walk yourself around the neighborhood. Talk to your neighbors. Maybe invite them over for iced tea or something. Get to know them. Be friendly. One day if you need help, they just might be the ones to save your bacon.

We are all one family. And we should all stand together in times of need. And hope and pray that that time never rears it 's ugly head. Maybe we should start another political party. And call it
WE, THE PEOPLE