I WISH

I wish!

Two very simple words. But the older I get, the more frequently I find myself putting them together.

Having been around for more decades than I care to mention, I have witnessed extraordinary changes in our world. Some have been remarkable advancements. Others, quite frankly, leave me scratching my head, wondering how we ever allowed them to happen.

I am not suggesting that everything was better 50 years ago. It wasn't. But I do believe there are certain values, traditions, behaviors, and common courtesies that have been slowly disappearing from our society.

So, indulge me for a few minutes. Here are some things I WISH!

I wish political advertising would concentrate on what candidates intend to accomplish rather than spending millions of dollars denigrating their opponents. And I wish political campaigning were limited to a reasonable number of weeks before an election. Enough already!

I wish there were term limits for members of Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Public service should be just that - service, not necessarily a lifetime occupation.

I wish Supreme Court justices had reasonable age limits or defined terms of service. No position in government should be completely insulated from generational change.

I wish our political leaders, regardless of party affiliation, demonstrated the class, dignity, polish, and decorum once associated with public office. Disagreement does not require disrespect.

I wish every young person between 16 and 25 could name two Supreme Court justices, three presidential Cabinet members, their two U.S. senators, and their representative in Congress. I wonder how many could pass that simple test today?

I wish our schools placed greater emphasis on mathematics, geography, American and world history, civics, and current events. Understanding how the world works is every bit as important as knowing how to operate the latest electronic device.

I wish the Pledge of Allegiance were recited regularly in every school. And I wish faith, moral values, and respect for religious beliefs had a more meaningful place in the lives of our young people, while respecting everyone's freedom of conscience.

I wish people could disagree without becoming enemies. Somewhere along the way, we seem to have confused having a different opinion with being a bad person.

I wish CNN, FOX, and other news organizations would spend more time reporting the news and less time interpreting it for us. I wish newscasters would deliver the facts without feeling obligated to demonstrate their personal emotions about every story.

I wish people, both young and old, would stop telling me “they do not watch the news”.

And I wish the endless parade of political and sports talking heads would occasionally stop talking! Not every issue requires six experts, three former officials, and two hours of speculation.

I wish there were no road rage. That people would remember driving is a responsibility, not a competition.

I wish shoppers and employees at Kroger, and everywhere else, would smile, speak, and occasionally say, "Good morning!" It costs absolutely nothing.

I wish people still held doors open for others, acknowledged a courtesy, and spoke to strangers on the street without everyone looking suspiciously at one another.

I wish we showed our elderly the respect and consideration traditionally associated with cultures such as Japan. Growing older should bring dignity, not invisibility.

I wish young people entering the workforce understood that showing up on time, dressing appropriately, listening, and working hard are not extraordinary accomplishments. They are basic expectations.

I wish Casual Friday had never evolved into Casual Every Day! Particularly for young people beginning their careers. There is something to be said for looking professional before you have earned your stripes.

I wish job applicants who schedule interviews would actually show up or at least have the courtesy to call and cancel. Managers tell me that no-shows have become a serious frustration. What happened to keeping your word?

I wish more people understood that working together in an office can provide lessons, relationships, mentoring, and opportunities that are difficult to duplicate from a sofa at home. Working from home has advantages, but so does being part of a team. I wish that people on the job actually picked up and used the telephone again rather than texting and emailing everything. The phone can be quicker and more personal!

I wish the airline industry operated with the dependability, service, and sense of occasion I remember from 25 years ago. And I wish passengers dressed as though they were traveling somewhere rather than heading to bed!

I wish people treated law enforcement officers with respect during encounters, while expecting those officers to demonstrate the same professionalism and courtesy in return.

I wish guests visiting amusement and theme parks remembered that standing in a long line on a hot day does not give anyone permission to be rude to employees or fellow visitors.

I wish professional football players remembered the old Vince Lombardi-era philosophy: "When you get into the end zone, act like you've been there before." A little humility can be more impressive than a choreographed “Dancing With The Stars” celebration.

I wish restaurants were places where servers were treated with genuine appreciation, thanked for their efforts, and compensated fairly for good service.

I wish retailers would stop putting Christmas merchandise on display before we've even celebrated Halloween! Must we rush through every season before it arrives? The dilution is diminishing!

I wish children spent more time outdoors playing baseball, riding bicycles, exploring, and interacting with other children rather than spending endless hours playing shoot-'em-up video games.

I wish parents had more family dinners where everyone actually talked to one another, and where cell phones were not invited to the table. The same at restaurants.

I wish young people would read more books, develop their vocabularies, and discover that not every meaningful thought can be communicated through a text message or emoji.

I wish social media rewarded thoughtfulness rather than outrage, and that people would verify something before forwarding it to hundreds of others.

I wish reality television were less prevalent and that we had a few more good old-fashioned Westerns on television. Give me a cowboy who knows right from wrong over another manufactured reality-show argument! Where's Roy and Gene when we need them?!

And while we're at it, do we really need another hospital drama or police investigation series?

I wish spam telephone calls, fraudulent messages, and unsolicited emails carried meaningful penalties that were actually enforced. Wouldn't it be wonderful to answer your telephone without wondering who was trying to sell you something or steal your identity?

I wish more businesses remembered that customer service is not an expense to be minimized but an investment in loyalty.

I wish people took greater personal responsibility for their actions rather than immediately searching for someone else to blame.

I wish we could bring back a little more patience, a little more gratitude, a little more pride in our appearance, and a great deal more respect for one another.

But most of all, I wish civility and politeness were once again the hallmarks of our everyday existence.

I recognize that every generation looks back on certain aspects of its past with affection. My generation is certainly no exception. And I am fully aware that the world in which I grew up was far from perfect.

But good manners never go out of style. Neither does honesty, personal responsibility, respect, or a strong work ethic. Progress should not require us to abandon those qualities.

Perhaps the greatest wish of all is that we could embrace everything good about the future without discarding everything worthwhile from the past.

And one final wish......I wish that someday we would stop having to wish for these things and simply start practicing them!

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