All of us have seen people or know people who do not think the rules apply to them. Maybe they think they are above the rules. Maybe they don’t know what the rules are. Maybe they just don’t care. Whatever the case, these people are annoying at best and dangerous at worst.
I have told my grandkids that my rules are for their safety and well-being. I don’t have arbitrary rules in place for them. I care deeply for them. For example, until you reach a certain age you must hold my hand when in a parking lot or near a road. You need to brush your teeth each night before going to bed. You need to wash your hands after using the bathroom. You must be buckled up properly in the car.
Some rules are there to show respect. I don’t care if the grandkids trash the living room while they are here, but they need to pick up the toys and put them away before leaving to go home. They need to do this out of respect for me.
Most laws are made to ensure safety and to show respect.
I live in the country, outside the city limits. Twice a year, on New Year’s Eve and July 4th, people around me shoot off fireworks. I hate them. They are loud and many times they keep going off until the wee hours of the morning. Also, New Year’s Eve and July 4th are very dry in my area. I always pray for rain during these two times. This year we had a very hot and dry month of June. When the temperatures outside are 100 degrees or more, my sprinklers just don’t make up for the lack of rain. Driving around my neighborhood, I noticed many yards with dry grass. Common sense should tell you that it would have been dangerous to shoot off fireworks. I’m convinced a lot of people who live near me don’t have any common sense. On July 3rd, the county commissioners added fireworks to the burn ban. The county had seen some wild fires. The griping on FaceBook was unbelievable. There were several comments about how they had already purchased several hundred dollars worth of fireworks and how the kids would be greatly disappointed. It appalled me that so many people could have so little concern about the possibility of starting a wildfire. Of course, it could never happen to THEM. Fireworks can start fires. Fireworks can cause injuries. Fireworks are dangerous. There are statistics to prove this.
Most years I hear fireworks for at least a week before the holiday. This year was no different. And as I expected, fireworks were going off on the evening of July 4th. I heard them in all directions around me. Either these people did not get the fireworks ban memo, or they just didn’t care. My response to someone trying to tell me that they didn’t know of the ban would be, “All you have to do is look around and see that is too dry for fireworks.” I guess my safety is not as important as these people having fun. It would not be fun to have my house burn down. There are so many things that are not replaceable, like the afghan my grandmother made me before I went to college.
I recently attended a Donny & Marie concert. Yes. I will admit I was an Osmond fan in junior high. My husband and I had good seats, and I was hoping to get a picture or two during the concert. That was not to be. Before the concert began it was clearly stated that taking photographs and videos would not be allowed. I sighed as I put my cell phone away. However, I could not believe the number of people who blatantly ignored this request. In just the area around me, there had to be at least 15 people (women) with cell phones out taking pictures and videos. One woman in particular was videoing during much of the concert. A security person even came by and told everyone to put the cell phones away. As soon as the security person left, the phones came out again. Maybe they should have said that no cell phones or cameras were allowed inside. However, I’m sure even that wouldn’t have stopped some people. They would have smuggled them inside. The people taking pictures and videos showed a complete lack of respect for the artists on stage.
Would you like to be safe and respected? Then you need to do the same for others and follow the rules.
P.S. The picture accompanying this blog was taken before the concert started.
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