Smith and Jones

Yesterday I was reminded of a story that I heard when my children were very young.  That story had a dynamic impact on the way I chose to rear my children.  Unfortunately, I don’t remember every detail of the story so I’ve filled in the blanks to the best of my ability.  I trust that the story is just as powerful and poignant as it was when I first heard it.    I hope that it will have a positive impact on your life as well.

I want to tell you about two people.  One is John Smith, the other is John Jones.  Both John’s were reared in the same little town, attended the same church, were in the same class at school, were on the same ball teams, and were reared with the same values in life during their formative years.

Then became teenagers.  John Smith and John Jones both loved life and people and enjoyed socializing and being around his friends.  John Smith started hanging out with his friends as much as possible after school just doing things teenagers liked to do – his grades began to slip.  John Jones joined their schools track team.  So he ended up making new friends of members of his track team and they all worked together to keep their grades up so they could stay on the team.  When it came time to go to college, John Smith passed, but John Jones made the sacrifice and struggled through.

They both got married within a month of each other to women they each loved.  The Smiths did not have a life plan, the Jones did.  In time both families gave birth to four children.  By this time John Smith’s life had turned into a routine.  He loved his family but was growing weary of their mundane just getting by existence.  He desperately wanted change but did not know how or where to begin.  So he continued to do the same thing at the same time with the same people.  Oh, he did start drinking a bit more than casually..  John Jones loved his family too.  He and his wife lived each day in peace and joy.  Between the two of them they saved enough money to pay cash for their home before their children were born, which afforded them a very comfortable and pleasant lifestyle.  They, as a family, became active in philanthropic activates.

By the time their children were adults John Smith and his wife grew into cynical people with dismal views of life, love, and faith.  They unwittingly passed their life style, and beliefs onto their children.  Who were each alcoholics by the time they were 25.   John Jones on the other hand was happier than he ever thought he’d be.  All of his children had completed college and like their parents they each child had high hopes for their future.

Before they each died, John Smith and his family had cost the tax payers of their local community millions of dollars and incalculable emotional damage due to their wanton disregard for every one and everything.  Their children were reckless and careless people who were constantly in and out of jail.  They were violent, thieves; even a mass murderer was in the bunch.  Their parents were too exhausted and dismayed with life in general and particularly bewildered by the fact that they two, who were otherwise good citizens, reared a brewed of hellions.

John Jones and his family on the other hand did a lot to elevate the class and status of their local community.   They with their infectious can do attitudes stirred up a lot of supporters for local community organizations.  At a recent awards dinner given on behalf of this family, it was estimated that their small but heart felt contributions of time and money coupled by their actions caused an outpouring of tangible and intangible support from other community members and investors that could be measured in the billions.

The moral of the story is:  The road that seems the easiest in the beginning may ultimately be the hardest road in the end.