If I Had Control- I Would

• make sure children took a class in school entitled "Friendship 101". Classes would include things like / simple ways to make people feel loved and respected/ how to make time for others/ how to judge less and be empathetic/ how to offer help without demeaning/ how to have equality in a friendship/ how to listen [and hear everything] / how to use physical contact to show care and concern/


• make sure young adults took another class entitled "Personal Finances- The Future is Yours to Determine" including such lectures as / Money is a head, not heart issue/ Shopping is not a coping strategy/ Shopping is not Entertainment/ Generosity starts at Home/ Pay yourself first! /


• ask that Manners be emphasized more in day to day life. Showing respect for others- whether they have earned it or not- is necessary for communities to work. Simple things like holding the door for someone, saying Hello while passing on the street, thanking someone for going out of their way to make your life better- even if it is as simple as letting you merge into traffic or putting $.25 in your parking meter. Better yet, teach people that saying "Sorry" when they have hurt someone or made a mistake or whatever it is. Saying sorry and genuinely meaning it can improve so many relationships and does not have to hurt the pride of the person saying it. Say it- and mean it and watch your relationships improve because of it.
  

* I will add more to this list as I get my thoughts in order. Bear with me- I am sure there are lots more.