Editor, Ceres Courier,

Americans today have a badly distorted sense of value.

We place high value on a large house with many bedrooms but often neglect to bring even a single child into the world to enhance our joy.

We believe we must obtain and use as many credit cards as possible but don’t think to work sufficient hours in a day to pay off those debts and avoid debt slavery.

We place a high value on obnoxious and expensive video games but fail to take advantage of the free books available in the public library.

We target jobs and professions that have marginal value to society and wonder why the community goes downhill around us.

We treat our bodies to all kinds of insults and addictions and decline to go walking regularly, ignoring the proverbial wisdom “Health is true wealth.”

We do not take advice from our elders because we believe there is little value in it.

When we do not understand what has real value in life, we do not actually have real “values.” We should not be surprised that we lack real happiness and contentment.

Kimball Shinkoskey

LETTERS POLICY: Letters will be considered for publication but must be signed and include an address and phone number. Letters should be 250 words or less and be void of libel. Send to The Ceres Courier, 138 S. Center Street, Turlock CA 95380 or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com.