Values in a new age... for Old Age

How do we choose which values to emphasize and which to lay aside as not so important in this fragile time of economic and social upheaval?

Our Canadian dollar on the world market rises to compete as an equal with a falling American dollar.

Americans are engaged in a race to name a new leader, black man, white woman, old soldier hero. Whoever it is - the stirrings of democracy are frenzied and speeches higher pitched, fundraising more urgent, ad campaigns more pressing. Tornados in winter devastated Arkansas and the candidates could only count votes, not deaths or loss of property and livelihoods. Where is the reality, where is the leadership?

Africa is at war with itself in Kenya, in Chad, in Darfur. AIDS and HIV is ravaging the children, the grandmothers are trying to cope and are dying from starvation and exhaustion, as riots go on in the streets over election fraud, intertribal wars or a search for the next meal.

In Canada, our politicians are threatening each other with crime bills and votes of confidence on the budget, the bill to extend the mission in Afghanistan. No Canadian would say we have done a bad job in Afghanistan; in fact, it's been said that Canada is "punching above her weight". Hmmph. And taking a beating while waiting for NATO to get its act together for ISAF. Canada is NOT a nation ready or willing to go to war; we are ready and willing to make peace, keep the peace and reduce war-like situations to sustain peace.

IF Canada is going to war, we need a military force with substantially more firepower AND up to date equipment NOW, not 5 years from now. IF it is the present government's position to get us to that point, what war are we going to be fighting 5years from now? I want to know. Because I will NOT support Canada as a country for war making or war fighting. NOT NOW and NOT EVER. I will support a Canada that is willing to STAND UP and Take a STAND but NOT MAKE WAR.

Terrorism is not to be fought with terror. Escalation of this must be shut down. Another way must be found or the world will be destroyed.

I invite anyone reading to choose among these values listed below and imagine which of these are the TEN most important values in your life. Which values serve to guide your life?

Which should we call on when selecting our next parliamentarian? Should we talk to them about these values in open conversation? Talk to them about the meaning of these words to them? Get them on record about these values - Tell them what we expect?

And of course with St. Valentine's Day so soon upon us, there are those we love - what values do they hold dear? Are they similar to ours? or different in some ways that complement us or rub us in ways that jolt and jar? Worthy of conversation no doubt.

Have a go - take your time. There are 374 listed Values! Thank you www.stevepavlina.com/articles/list-of-values.htm

Abundance.....................Acceptance
Accessibility ..................Accomplishment
Accuracy.........................Achievement
Acknowledgment...........Activeness
Adaptability.....................Adoration
Adroitness......................Adventure
Affection.........................Affluence
Aggressiveness............Agility
Alertness........................Altruism
Ambition.........................Amusement
Anticipation....................Appreciation
Approachability.............Articulacy
Assertiveness...............Assurance
Attentiveness................Attractiveness
Audacity.........................Availability
Awareness.....................Awe

Balance..........................Beauty
Being the best...............Belonging
Benevolence..................Bliss
Boldness........................Bravery
Brilliance........................Buoyancy

Calmness......................Camaraderie
Candor..........................Capability
Care..............................Carefulness
Celebrity.......................Certainty
Challenge.....................Charity
Charm...........................Chastity
Cheerfulness................Clarity
Cleanliness..................Clear-mindedness
Cleverness....................Closeness
Comfort.........................Commitment
Compassion.................Completion
Composure..................Concentration
Confidence...................Conformity
Congruency..................Connection
Consciousness............Consistency
Contentment.................Continuity
Contribution..................Control
Conviction.....................Conviviality
Coolness......................Cooperation
Cordiality......................Correctness
Courage.......................Courtesy
Craftiness....................Creativity
Credibility....................Cunning
Curiosity

Daring..........................Decisiveness
Decorum......................Deference
Delight..........................Dependability
Depth............................Desire
Determination..............Devotion
Devoutness..................Dexterity
Dignity...........................Diligence
Direction.......................Directness
Discipline......................Discovery
Discretion......................Diversity
Dominance....................Dreaming
Drive...............................Duty
Dynamism

Eagerness.....................Economy
Ecstasy..........................Education
Effectiveness................Efficiency
Elation...........................Elegance
Empathy........................Encouragement
Endurance....................Energy
Enjoyment.....................Entertainment
Enthusiasm...................Excellence
Excitement....................Exhilaration
Expectancy...................Expediency
Experience...................Expertise
Exploration...................Expressiveness
Extravagance...............Extroversion
Exuberance

Fairness......................Faith
Fame...........................Family
Fascination.................Fashion
Fearlessness..............Ferocity
Fidelity.........................Fierceness
Financial independence
Firmness.....................Fitness
Flexibility.....................Flow
Fluency........................Focus
Fortitude......................Frankness
Freedom......................Friendliness
Frugality.......................Fun

Gallantry......................Generosity
Gentility........................Giving
Grace...........................Gratitude
Gregariousness..........Growth
Guidance

Happiness...................Harmony
Health...........................Heart
Helpfulness..................Heroism
Holiness.......................Honesty
Honor............................Hopefulness
Hospitality.....................Humility
Humor............................Hygiene

Imagination...................Impact
Impartiality.....................Independence
Industry...........................Ingenuity
Inquisitiveness...............Insightfulness
Inspiration.......................Integrity
Intelligence......................Intensity
Intimacy...........................Intrepidness
Introversion.....................Intuition
Intuitiveness....................Inventiveness
Investing

Joy..................................Judiciousness
Justice

Keenness......................Kindness
Knowledge

Leadership....................Learning
Liberation......................Liberty
Liveliness......................Logic
Longevity.......................Love
Loyalty

Majesty.........................Making a difference
Mastery........................Maturity
Meekness....................Mellowness
Meticulousness............Mindfulness
Modesty........................Motivation
Mysteriousness

Neatness......................Nerve

Obedience..................Open-mindedness
Openness...................Optimism
Order...........................Organization
Originality....................Outlandishness
Outrageousness

Passion........................ Peace
Perceptiveness............Perfection
Perkiness......................Perseverance
Persistence...................Persuasiveness
Philanthropy...................Piety
Playfulness.....................Pleasantness
Pleasure.........................Poise
Polish..............................Popularity
Potency...........................Power
Practicality......................Pragmatism
Precision........................Preparedness
Presence........................Privacy
Proactivity.......................Professionalism
Prosperity........................Prudence
Punctuality........................Purity

Realism............................Reason
Reasonableness.............Recognition
Recreation........................Refinement
Reflection..........................Relaxation
Reliability...........................Religiousness
Resilience.........................Resolution
Resolve.............................Resourcefulness
Respect............................Rest
Restraint...........................Reverence
Richness...........................Rigor

Sacredness.....................Sacrifice
Sagacity...........................Saintliness
Sanguinity........................Satisfaction
Security............................Self-control
Selflessness....................Self-reliance
Sensitivity.........................Sensuality
Serenity............................Service
Sexuality...........................Sharing
Shrewdness.....................Significance
Silence.............................Silliness
Simplicity.........................Sincerity
Skillfulness......................Solidarity
Solitude...........................Soundness
Speed.............................Spirit
Spirituality.......................Spontaneity
Spunk..............................Stability
Stealth.............................Stillness
Strength..........................Structure
Success.........................Support
Supremacy....................Surprise
Sympathy.......................Synergy

Teamwork.....................Temperance
Thankfulness.................Thoroughness
Thoughtfulness.............Thrift
Tidiness........................Timeliness
Traditionalism..............Tranquility
Transcendence............Trust
Trustworthiness...........Truth

Understanding.............Unflappability
Uniqueness..................Unity
Usefulness...................Utility

Valor............................Variety
Victory.........................Vigor
Virtue...........................Vision
Vitality..........................Vivacity

Warmth........................Watchfulness
Wealth.........................Willfulness
Willingness.................Winning
Wisdom......................Wittiness
Wonder

Youthfulness

Zeal