Love takes everything
that comes without giving up.
Like many Americans, I grew up watching the Andy Griffith
Show.
Who didn’t enjoy watching the antics
of Barney Fife?
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The Andy Griffith Show depicted a
time when life was simple and uncomplicated. An era before sex, graphic
violence and reality shows became the norm for modern TV.
Recently, while watching an episode
of the Andy Griffith Show on TV Land, I realized Encore Parents (those who serve double duty as both parent
and grandparent) could learn a lot from Aunt Bee’s character.
I loved Aunt Bee with her toothy grin
and easygoing nature. She was a woman
of grace, compassion, love, humor, and much more.
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Here are my top two favorite
characteristics of Aunt Bee:
1.
Aunt Bee didn’t give up.
Because Sheriff Taylor was widowed, she
became little Opie’s surrogate mother and lovingly devoted her later years in
life to taking care of Andy and his son.
I’m sure there were
plenty of days when laundry and dishes piled high and household chores seemed
endless. And let’s not forget she cooked three home cooked meals a day! I mean,
who does that anymore? Although she appeared frazzled at times, she persevered.
She didn’t give up.
Also Aunt Bee was no
spring chicken, and neither am I.
I have days. You know
those aggravating ones when you’re already exhausted (because you’re not a
spring chicken anymore) and the unexpected pops up.
For instance, the day our
dryer broke. It had been on its last leg for months.
A new dryer wasn’t in the
budget.
The day it finally died
was the worst. There were at least four loads of towels and three loads of
clothes waiting to be washed and dried.
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And boy, can pre-teen
girls generate a mountain of dirty laundry in one day!
Yet,
love doesn’t give up. It goes to the
extreme, even if it means washing seven
loads of dirty clothes at home, and then dragging 200 pounds of wet laundry to dry at the laundromat.
What would Aunt Bee do?
Well, first of all, she didn’t have a dryer. She had a clothes line. Secondly, I’m
sure while Aunt Bee hung little Opie’s and Sheriff Taylor’s clothes on the
clothes line, she hummed a happy song and contemplated dinner. (Yeah, that’s
not me!)
However…
Love does not give up.
2.
Aunt Bee was altruistic.
Today, we live in a culture of
narcissism.
Jean M. Twenge and W.
Keith Campbell’s book, The Narcissism
Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement, details how narcissism has profoundly
impacted our culture.
According to Twenge and
Campbell, today’s parenting style has fueled this problem. Moms and Dads want
to be their kids BFF’s instead of their parents. It’s resulted in a culture of
insatiable, “me” first, spoiled adults, lacking in both responsibility and a
hard work ethic.
Conversely,
Aunt Bee led a tireless, selfless, yet, contented life, by putting others’ needs
before her own.
I know Aunt Bee was a
fictional character and lived in the fictional town of Mayberry; yet, she
exemplified many of the LOVE characteristics described in the book of Corinthians.
Characteristics every caregiver should embody to succeed.
I want to hear from you!
What do you think motivated Aunt Bee?
Love?
