Lesson 6. It's the principle.

As I previously stated my mother smoked cigarettes.  I always hated the smell of smoke.  I remember me and her friend begged her to stop smoking.  We kept telling her this can kill you (we were right).  She did not really listen to us.  
 
The day they announced that the price of cigarettes was going up to 75¢ my mother said she was going to quit smoking. My mother did not smoke another cigarette.  After smoking since she was 12 years old she quit cold turkey with no type of smoking cessation program.  She said she was not going to pay 75¢ for a pack of cigarettes.  It was the principle.  I think my mother would flip four times if she knew how much cigarettes cost now.  
 
Loretta Hall was truly a woman of principle.  There are several stories I could share about her and her principles, some funny others not so much.  Nevertheless, she did teach me the importance of having principles and keeping your principles.  I have definitely adopted some of her strong will in sticking to your principles.  For example, anyone who knows me well knows that I do not watch a certain television station because of the negative images they have consistently portrayed of African Americans.  I stopped watching this channel probably about ten years ago.  Although there have been some things I heard advertised I thought I may watch, I will not watch this channel.  It’s the principle.  
 
Unfortunately, our society has gotten away from the importance of principles.  We now go with what is easy instead of what is right.  If we do not instill in our children the importance of principles we will have another generation repeating this mistake.  As Malcolm X said, “If you do not stand for something you will fall for anything.” Whatever you believe in, stick to your principles.  Do not waiver just to go with the masses because there are many people who end up with a lot of troubles following the masses.  Don’t be a carbon copy of everyone else be the original you.