Complaining is one of my biggest pet peeves. As a high school English teacher, I hear teenagers complain every day about everything. They complain about the rules, the expectations, the assignments. They complain about each other, about their teachers, about their parents. We talk in my class often about not complaining, because when we complain, our focus is on what is uncomfortable, missing, unfair, or frustrating, when our focus should be on the things we do have and the opportunities before us. Sometimes we need to shift our focus from complaining to gratitude. Our words—whether grumbling or gratitude—shape the way we see the world around us. People who constantly complain eventually begin viewing everything negatively. Every inconvenience becomes a problem; every correction feels unfair; every responsibility feels overwhelming, and every difficulty becomes evidence that life is against them. Complaining changes perspective. When our minds become consumed with what is frust...
In March, executive orders from governors across the country forced us to stay home, to close schools and churches and to shut down private businesses. Businesses were classified as either "essential" or "non-essential." All businesses deemed "non-essential" were forced to close. This included markets, clothing stores, boutiques, dine-in restaurants, and beauty salons. State parks, city parks, beaches, walking trails, lakes, and other wide open spaces were closed as well. Many people feel that the "social distancing," as it has come to be known, and stay at home executive orders violate their constitutional rights, such as our First Amendment right to freely exercise our religion, our right to peaceably assemble, and that we shall not be deprived of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Some of the people who feel their rights have been violated have decided to exercise their First Amendment right to protest. Some have even chosen...