For most of my childhood, I lived in the rural part of a small town.

I was what you'd call a 'country boy'! We didn't have much, but we had a roof over our head, clothes to wear, and food to eat. And the air pollution usually only consisted of a skunk startled in the night.

My dad is a World War II veteran. My mom is the one who led us in prayer. Together, they gave me a sense ...beyond everyday ordinary common sense. It was deeper. It became a portion of what I now believe ....that we should strongly support good throughout the earth.

I felt I lived in a good community. As a whole, I believed our nation was good ...and I believed we should support efforts for maintaining a good earth. Many shared the same foundational beliefs, and were even prepared to fight to maintain them. I'm not referring to those occasions where some appear all too eager to fight ...I'm referring to defending against the atrocities I'd hope none of us would ignore.

What factors into our thought process, and contributes to our definition of 'good'?

As I grew older, I realized more and more that what may be declared as good by one person, actually is not often good for another.

So, who really defines 'good'?

We formulate ideas that are influenced early on ...by our homes, our churches, our schools, and the governments of our communities and nation.

Adulthood brings on an increased measure of responsibility and participation ...as we attempt to find our place in this world.

We solidify our friendships within our social groups ...mostly established through common interests and those we agree with. And as we cement those friendships, we tend to think less of those who are not in our social circles. We isolate ourselves from those we disagree with, and lose a portion of our empathy and understanding.

Wasn't last years Superbowl exciting!

In the 2011 Superbowl, the majority of people I know wanted the Pittsburgh Steelers to win. I grew up in the U.P.(Upper Peninsula of Michigan ...called 'Yoopers'). Most Yoopers are Packer fans. And most get more excited about sports than they do politics ...or most anything else for that matter.

Politics ...is the engine that drives our government, influencing how we govern our lives ...

It could be said that politics is the most important force on our globe. It affects the way we live ...within our communities, our states, and our nation. (As I get older, I miss things more.  Don't want you to miss the continuation here, so am adding a reminder to click on 'Older Posts'.