“It’s just a phase.” Some people use this phrase to describe a little tyke who’s going through the terrible twos and needs to learn a little discipline. The little guy is just young, and he has a lot to learn about manners, tempers and self-control. You excuse so many things for him, because, after all, he’s just little. He simply needs a firm, loving hand, a parent who will help him grow up into a wise, spirited, and strong individual.
“It’s just a phase.” Some people use this phrase to describe a young woman who’s going through the turbulent teenage years and needs freedom to explore while learning her boundaries within the contents of house rules, school requirements and civil obediences. You don’t quite excuse as many things as you once did, because, after all, she’s a little older, but she still does have so much more to learn. She simply needs a firm, loving guide, a parent who will help her grow into a conscientious, yet tenacious and dauntless individual.
However, when “it’s just a phase,” is used to describe men and women who are well past the age of accountability and who are, now, quite capable of having self-control, who are quite able to follow rules set by any organization, and who are just defiant against any form of authority in their lives, this “phase” is simply beyond ridiculous!
I am so tired of those in our culture today who continually give excuses for people who don’t deserve this faulty alibi. Just because someone grew up in the wrong family, wrong town or on the wrong side of the world, does NOT give them the extenuating circumstances of just “falling into” a crime because “they just can’t help themselves!” You may not be able to choose your heritage, your upbringing or even your environment. You may have really been given the “raw end of the deal,” but that does NOT give you reason to abuse everyone and everything around you! It does NOT excuse you to being a jerk your whole life! Everyone has choices they must make. Everyone has to decide whom they will become. As Forrest Gump says, “I happen to believe you make your own destiny. You have to do the best with what God gave you.”
“…and that’s all I’ve got to say about that.” 😉
Daily Prompt: Phase
the grizzle grist mill 
AMEN!!
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Very well written. Let the excuses end and accountability rule the day. Good food for thought.
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The one that gets me riled is the old, “slave” excuse. They were not slaves, there are no slaves today and yet that’s the first excuse that comes popping out. Like you said, there is no excuse. We have a choice.
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Very well said. Yes, I know I give my children A LOT of leeway. I also KNOW I work on that daily. I know the exact people you are speaking of. I cross paths with someone like that probably almost daily. I like your comments “You may have really been given the “raw end of the deal,” but that does NOT give you reason to abuse everyone and everything around you! It does NOT excuse you to being a jerk your whole life! Everyone has choices they must make.” At some point, we all grow up and start making our own choices. I will use myself as an example. I didn’t grow up in a horrible home, but it was a rocky one…lots of stress, too much fighting among adults (not just my parents), not enough money, but there was love too. I fell onto that same path when I became an adult. Then I met my husband who showed me something completely different. Now, as an adult, I determine daily what kind of wife, friend, daughter, sister, and mother I am going to be. I make a choice in how I treat others every single second of every single minute of every single hour, and you get the picture. As an adult, when one is perfectly capable of making informed, conscientious, selfless decisions, it becomes a responsibility to do so. It really does come down to a choice, a choice of what kind of person a person wants to be. I get tired of hearing everyone’s excuses. I’m sorry for bending your ear on the subject, I just feel strongly about negative attitudes and the fact that everyone believes they are owed something. Thank you for posting. I appreciate your insight. 🙂
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Great job on making better choices for you and your family. 😉
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Well said. I’ve seen quite a few of such people and, wondered how others simply underestimated their ill-treatment towards the whole world by saying the same thing. I echo your words, you can’t choose your upbringing, you can’t choose your family, BUT you can obviously choose the way of your life… 🙂
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