The Plague

If you have ever studied world history you may know about the "Black Death" or Bubonic Plague which swept through Asia then reached Europe in the 1340s, killing around 25 million people.
The plague affected everyone.
Men 
Women
Children
Rich
Poor
Older 
Younger
Royalty
Commoners

There is a plague in the world, today, which is wrecking havoc.

Like the Black Plague (race card pulling is invalid here) this plague is preventable, though, many ignore the symptoms, attempt to explain away its ill effects.

This plague is ruining the basic family structure, eroding relationships between adult children and their parents. Causing divorces, causing deep depression in its unwilling victims.
Big pharma loves it! 
Bring on the Anti-D's!

This plague is just as destructive, while, even MORE preventable than any plague.

There is a name for it, a very common name.

Selfishness.

Seeing people who are supposed to love each other, care for each other, often are blood related family, turn away, refuse to see or hear the needs of someone they are supposed to care about. 

Like the Black Plague, it's creating a lot of problems in the world. Adult offspring who are so selfish as to take, take, take from their parents without even caring enough to help a parent clean their home or do their dishes. 
Many will rarely even dust a table for a parent who needs their help.
When many of these grown offspring NEED something from their parent, they will ask, nag, beg, use guilt, to get whatever they want or need. 
Pure selfishness! 
However, I do realize that a parent has to allow their offspring to treat them badly, for the offspring to treat them with disrespect. A parent has to be a doormat.
The parent lays down, the offspring walk on them!
The solution?
Stand up!
Refuse to lay down!

It's very sad, to me.

Hypocrisy is no burden to me, in this matter.

When my parents were among the living (they died young) I did as much as was needed for them. I cleaned the house & washed dishes for my mother, even sent money home to her when I was AD USAF, to help her.
She was very unappreciative, so, the roles were reversed in my personal instance, I still honored the relationship, though, my parents didn't honor nor cherish me, as their daughter.

When I see people who are teen age all the way to their 20s, 30s, 40s, showing such a display of selfishness, it saddens me. It also makes me a little angry to see how uncaring some of these people are.

Having the experience of having to put the respect in place with my own family members, I know how tricky it can be.

*Children will only respect their parents when the respect is put into place by the parent.
*Parents will only respect boundaries of their children when the relationship is healthy.
*Family members & friends, acquaintances, will only show courtesy, caring & respect when the relationship is balanced as well as healthy.

It's important to stand up for yourself even with people who should know to be courteous & caring toward you.

Why am I writing this?

I have seen too much selfishness as well as had to work overtime to put the respect in place with so many people who didn't want to give it.

Caveat ~ People dislike it when you stand up for yourself especially when they are accustomed to having you lay down to be walked on.
There will be a struggle, anger, resentment from them. 

There may also be attempts from them to lay a guilt trip on you when you won't give in because you have developed new self respect, a backbone!
Some relationships may even dwindle when the cash cow stops giving milk. :)
Stay strong, stand up for yourself.

Been there, did that, sorry, there's no T Shirt!