Growing up, raising children, and how I look at the world

I don't have any children of my own, yet.

But, as I mature, and think about raising children and what message about the world best prepare them for life, I do think the simplest message is the best one.

Be good. Be honest. Keep your promises. Be someone of integrity. Do your best. Accept failure and success with class, learn from them, and look forward to new opportunities. When life gets tough, you get tougher. Follow the law. Be good to people around you. Take school, church, family, and life seriously. But not too seriously. Do something you're interested in. Love your spouse and your children and be true to them. Take the Ten Commandments seriously. Live a good life more than a famous or rich or any other kind of life. Be worthy of peoples' trust.

Do what you're supposed to do. Love your friends and family. And have a nice life.

The older I get, the more I realize that the complicated answers to life are generally too complicated. The simple ones are better answers, on the big life questions, I think.

And, after that, there are plenty of very nice lives awaiting you. And you get to choose.

Have at it.