Wasting Life's Gifts

Yesterday I was watching part of the Masters' Golf Tournament on television. I am not a golf fan, but while I was watching it seemed that Tiger Woods was struggling and not showing any of his great ability. I began to think about his career and those of Charlie Sheen, Barry Bonds, Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears and so many other tainted celebrities. They have been blessed with talents, abilities, opportunities, and incredible success.........and sadly many of them throw it all away through their own misbehavior. I don't understand it.......perhaps because I am an ordinary person with no special athletic, musical, acting, writing or other talents. I like to think that if I had been blessed with any one of those talents that I would be so grateful for the opportunities and financial security resulting from such gifts that I would share the largesse with others less fortunate, but I would NEVER throw away all those blessings by behaving badly........drugs, alcohol, infidelity, deceit.......those are all things that are bad choices. Those things don't just happen to a person but rather they are choices made and paths taken through poor judgement, vanity, fear, or stupidity. I see so many people struggling today to take care of their families, to hold on to their homes, etc. and to think that an actor who has been paid two million dollars an episode thinks he should be given a raise when he behaves like a buffoon just rankles me. The young men and women who are putting their lives on the line daily to protect our country and others from harm do it for so little money that their families waiting at home have to struggle to survive. My opinion is that we have our priorities so screwed up in this country that we no longer value decency, valor, honor, hard work, and courage as much as we seem to idolize bad boys and girls who are role models only for failure, loss, and self-inflicted pain and suffering. What is that about?