What would you do if you were in charge of repairing ties on the railroad and while you were busy working and minding your own business, someone from the local grocery store ran up to you and told you that a train was coming and that you had better get off the track? Would you get upset and ask the man why he wasn't minding his own business? Would you question his veracity because he was a grocery store owner and not a railroad man? Would you get angry and tell him to quit interrupting you in your work?
I belong to a gardening club. We receive helpful and informative e-mails about different gardening issues and problems. The people in charge of the forum are knowledgeable in their field and are able to answer difficult questions and give sound advice for beginners as well as seasoned gardeners. One day I received an e-mail through the gardening club that wasn't connected to gardening. The serious nature of the issue caused the group leader to want to warn his friends in the group of impending changes that might affect them. Sadly, there were some people who were angry that he would use the gardening forum to spread the word about something political. He spent the next few days apologizing to people and trying to get the site back on track. So, the train is coming and they get angry at the man who tells them because he's not a railroad man. Too bad.
I'm not a railroad man. I don't have a degree in train wrecks. In fact, I've never even seen one. But my eyes work extremely well and I can certainly see when a train is coming. So, what would you do if you were standing in your grocery store, or garden shop, or house and you happened to look out the window and see a train coming, and in the next instant you looked down the track a little way and you saw your friend or neighbor working at repairing the track? Would you say to yourself that he probably already knows that the train is coming, so my telling him again would only insult him? Or would you think that it isn't really your responsibility to warn people about trains; after all, you only run the grocery store, not the railroad? Or would you just call the people at the railroad station, because it's really their problem?
Paul Revere was a copper-smith. He didn't know about revolutions. He had no experience in war. He wasn't a politician or statesman. But he could see that a train was coming and he wasn't about to let his friends and neighbors get run over by it. He got on his horse and in the middle of the night and rode door to door waking people up and warning them of the danger that was coming, and they didn't get angry at him because he was only a copper-smith, or because the news was not good news.
In ancient Greece there was a messenger who brought bad news to the people, so they killed the messenger. That sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it still happens today. If someone brings us news of impending trouble, we shoot at him with ridicule or scorn. We try to find a reason to not believe him, like for instance, he's a grocery store owner and doesn't know anything about railroads, so we don't have to believe him. On the other hand, when the owners of the railroad tell us, in spite of the warnings of our friends and neighbors, that there is no train scheduled on that track and that we have nothing to worry about, we believe them, even though we know that they are bankrupt and cannot pay us and probably have a motive for wanting to be rid of us... via train wreck.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there is no train. Maybe I'm just imagining it. Maybe the railroad company is kind, benevolent, and helpful. And maybe pigs will fly.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
One Life to Give
The other day, as I sat in City Hall having lunch with people who had attended the Veteran's Day Celebration, I overheard one veteran say as he shook his head, “Yea, this country's going to h--- and the worst part is that I just don't know what to do about it.” Then with another shake of his head he looked over at me and my children and with a new light in his eyes he exclaimed, as much to me as to the other gentleman he was talking to, “Wait. I think I do know what to do!” He then pointed at my children and said, “That's where it has to start. Right there with the next generation. We have to teach them.”
This country? Yes, this country. Everyone I talk to has the same things to say. It's not a new story. In fact, I think that the story has been going around for decades. Only lately, it seems a little worse. “What do we do?” seems to be on everyone's lips. But while gums are flapping, hands are tied. Words are cheap, but deeds are nonexistent. The question I have been asking myself lately though, has not been “What do I do?”, but “Could I do it if I had to?”
To find out what needs to be done, one need only look in a good history book. There for anyone to read, are the deeds of amazing men and women who, when they saw the need, did what they had to do. In every case, there was a clear course of action, based on principle. To act, was a question of principle, verses risk. Those people in history who we most revere are the ones who weighed the risk against losing the principle and chose the risk. For instance, during the revolutionary war, Washington risked his home, future, family, property, name and life for the principles of liberty, representative government, and independence. He found the conditions under which he and his countrymen were forced to live, through the tyranny of their government, to be unbearable. The question was not so much WHAT to do as DO they do it.
For that reason I have asked myself the question. If the time came for me to risk everything for what I believe in, would I DO it? Would I value my principles above my life or would I shrink from the conflict to save my life? Upon reading the wonderful book, “The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten Boom, I was surprised to find that those ordinary people who lived and worked in a clock shop in pre-war Holland were truly extraordinary individuals. Though the risks were great and the retribution of the German government notorious, they were willing to risk everything to rescue a few people from persecution and what they believed to be certain death. Even when they knew that the police were aware of their operations they did not cease to work, even knowing that it was only a matter of time before they would be arrested themselves.
The other question that occurred to me was “What DO I believe in that I would be willing to risk my life for?” Is freedom dear enough to me that I would be willing to suffer and die for it? Is my faith strong enough to withstand persecution or violence? Would I turn my head if I saw others unjustly punished or imprisoned? Would I do everything in my power to save one person, even if I was not saved? These and other questions have come to my mind recently as I have watched people's reactions to the events that surround us. After all, history may repeat itself. So, what would I do? What would any of us do? It isn't for me to say, but I have decided to decide. If I decide beforehand what I would do then I won't be caught unawares doing something I would be ashamed of later on. In her book, those people who had betrayed others so save their own lives had a much more difficult time after it was all over. What would I do? I hope I never find out, but if I do, I hope that I won't be ashamed of my decisions when it's all over.
This country? Yes, this country. Everyone I talk to has the same things to say. It's not a new story. In fact, I think that the story has been going around for decades. Only lately, it seems a little worse. “What do we do?” seems to be on everyone's lips. But while gums are flapping, hands are tied. Words are cheap, but deeds are nonexistent. The question I have been asking myself lately though, has not been “What do I do?”, but “Could I do it if I had to?”
To find out what needs to be done, one need only look in a good history book. There for anyone to read, are the deeds of amazing men and women who, when they saw the need, did what they had to do. In every case, there was a clear course of action, based on principle. To act, was a question of principle, verses risk. Those people in history who we most revere are the ones who weighed the risk against losing the principle and chose the risk. For instance, during the revolutionary war, Washington risked his home, future, family, property, name and life for the principles of liberty, representative government, and independence. He found the conditions under which he and his countrymen were forced to live, through the tyranny of their government, to be unbearable. The question was not so much WHAT to do as DO they do it.
For that reason I have asked myself the question. If the time came for me to risk everything for what I believe in, would I DO it? Would I value my principles above my life or would I shrink from the conflict to save my life? Upon reading the wonderful book, “The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten Boom, I was surprised to find that those ordinary people who lived and worked in a clock shop in pre-war Holland were truly extraordinary individuals. Though the risks were great and the retribution of the German government notorious, they were willing to risk everything to rescue a few people from persecution and what they believed to be certain death. Even when they knew that the police were aware of their operations they did not cease to work, even knowing that it was only a matter of time before they would be arrested themselves.
The other question that occurred to me was “What DO I believe in that I would be willing to risk my life for?” Is freedom dear enough to me that I would be willing to suffer and die for it? Is my faith strong enough to withstand persecution or violence? Would I turn my head if I saw others unjustly punished or imprisoned? Would I do everything in my power to save one person, even if I was not saved? These and other questions have come to my mind recently as I have watched people's reactions to the events that surround us. After all, history may repeat itself. So, what would I do? What would any of us do? It isn't for me to say, but I have decided to decide. If I decide beforehand what I would do then I won't be caught unawares doing something I would be ashamed of later on. In her book, those people who had betrayed others so save their own lives had a much more difficult time after it was all over. What would I do? I hope I never find out, but if I do, I hope that I won't be ashamed of my decisions when it's all over.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Grandma's Stew
When I was in college I had a job cooking for the dorms on campus. In the cafeteria we had a big salad bar, choices of bread, a large main line with the main course and a vegetable, a choice of several desserts and numerous choices of drinks. The manager, wanting to 'beef up' the cafeteria's choices, decided to add another line called the “Specialty Line”. He put me in charge of daily planning and cooking that line of food. I was supposed to come up with unusual and interesting, and ethnic dishes that would entice the students and satisfy their need for variety. I gladly undertook the challenge and began my daily journey through dozens of cook books.
On Saturday I would plan the menu for the following week. The dishes ranged from Chinese to Russian, from Mexican to Italian. I could order any kind of meat I chose and the possibilities were endless. Every week I would try to out-do myself and come up with something unique and different. After a few weeks of trying to be different all the time I started to run out of resources and ideas. I racked my brain trying to think of things that I could do that would fit the specialty line and still be edible. One particularly difficult week, I found myself at a complete loss for something 'different' to cook that week. Then I remembered my Grandma and her wonderful stew. It was my favorite when I was growing up, so I decided I would try it on my specialty line. I called Grandma to find out how she made it and was surprised to find out that it was all left-overs. Hmm, I thought, can I do that? I talked to the head cook and I was given permission to use some of the leftover meatloaf in the walk-in refrigerator. I began to have second thoughts, like What if they don't like it? and What if it makes people sick? I decided to go ahead with the stew, in spite of my misgivings. I tried to follow the recipe just as Grandma gave it to me and when it was finished it looked very much like what I remember seeing when I was a child.
While the stew was cooking I realized that I had to have something to go with the stew, and I remembered that Grandma always made fresh bread to go with it. I quickly ordered some bread from our bakery and was able to cut, butter and warm it before serving the stew. Once again the doubts assailed me and I wondered if I was doing the right thing. With some hesitation I put the sign on the specialty line that read: “Grandma's Stew and Fresh, Hot Bread”. I put the stew in the warming pan and retreated to the kitchen to watch the outcome. From the little window in the kitchen I could see the server working frantically, trying to get all the people served. There was a long line by the specialty table and hardly anyone coming to the main line. Unfortunately, I had been conservative in my estimate to determine how much stew to make, so we ran out. Everyone wanted “Grandma's Stew”, and no one seemed to want the exotic Peppered Steak they were serving on the main line.
Most of us are just plain like “Grandma's Stew”, nothing special, no frills and ordinary. We live, work, play, love, laugh and die without fanfare, without hype. And aren't we glad? I love Grandma's stew because it's simple, warm and satisfying. I love Grandma for the same reasons. The best recipes are the ones with fewest ingredients. The best people are the ones who live the simplest lives.
It was good for me to take a step back and re-think my specialty line. I started cooking the simple homey dishes I grew up with and I found that I almost couldn't make enough. People weren't looking for something exotic and wild; they just wanted something simple and home-made. Most people don't want to be impressed, they want to be loved. Love is simple and home-made, like Grandma, and her Stew.
Grandma's Stew
Left-over meatloaf, cut into small bite-size squares
Left-over baked potatoes cut into squares
Carrots and Onions cut small
Tomato Sauce
Salt and Pepper
Brown Sugar
Put meat, potatoes and carrots into pot about half full of water. Boil until carrots are cooked. Add Tomato Sauce, Salt and Pepper to taste. A little Brown Sugar can be added if you want. Cook until it looks like a good thick stew. How much of any of these you use depends on how much you have left-over in the fridge. It might be different every time. That's the fun of it!
On Saturday I would plan the menu for the following week. The dishes ranged from Chinese to Russian, from Mexican to Italian. I could order any kind of meat I chose and the possibilities were endless. Every week I would try to out-do myself and come up with something unique and different. After a few weeks of trying to be different all the time I started to run out of resources and ideas. I racked my brain trying to think of things that I could do that would fit the specialty line and still be edible. One particularly difficult week, I found myself at a complete loss for something 'different' to cook that week. Then I remembered my Grandma and her wonderful stew. It was my favorite when I was growing up, so I decided I would try it on my specialty line. I called Grandma to find out how she made it and was surprised to find out that it was all left-overs. Hmm, I thought, can I do that? I talked to the head cook and I was given permission to use some of the leftover meatloaf in the walk-in refrigerator. I began to have second thoughts, like What if they don't like it? and What if it makes people sick? I decided to go ahead with the stew, in spite of my misgivings. I tried to follow the recipe just as Grandma gave it to me and when it was finished it looked very much like what I remember seeing when I was a child.
While the stew was cooking I realized that I had to have something to go with the stew, and I remembered that Grandma always made fresh bread to go with it. I quickly ordered some bread from our bakery and was able to cut, butter and warm it before serving the stew. Once again the doubts assailed me and I wondered if I was doing the right thing. With some hesitation I put the sign on the specialty line that read: “Grandma's Stew and Fresh, Hot Bread”. I put the stew in the warming pan and retreated to the kitchen to watch the outcome. From the little window in the kitchen I could see the server working frantically, trying to get all the people served. There was a long line by the specialty table and hardly anyone coming to the main line. Unfortunately, I had been conservative in my estimate to determine how much stew to make, so we ran out. Everyone wanted “Grandma's Stew”, and no one seemed to want the exotic Peppered Steak they were serving on the main line.
Most of us are just plain like “Grandma's Stew”, nothing special, no frills and ordinary. We live, work, play, love, laugh and die without fanfare, without hype. And aren't we glad? I love Grandma's stew because it's simple, warm and satisfying. I love Grandma for the same reasons. The best recipes are the ones with fewest ingredients. The best people are the ones who live the simplest lives.
It was good for me to take a step back and re-think my specialty line. I started cooking the simple homey dishes I grew up with and I found that I almost couldn't make enough. People weren't looking for something exotic and wild; they just wanted something simple and home-made. Most people don't want to be impressed, they want to be loved. Love is simple and home-made, like Grandma, and her Stew.
Grandma's Stew
Left-over meatloaf, cut into small bite-size squares
Left-over baked potatoes cut into squares
Carrots and Onions cut small
Tomato Sauce
Salt and Pepper
Brown Sugar
Put meat, potatoes and carrots into pot about half full of water. Boil until carrots are cooked. Add Tomato Sauce, Salt and Pepper to taste. A little Brown Sugar can be added if you want. Cook until it looks like a good thick stew. How much of any of these you use depends on how much you have left-over in the fridge. It might be different every time. That's the fun of it!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A Season and a Reason for Gratitude
Gratitude is not an event; it is a way of life. Like love, it should not be turned on or off, depending on the circumstances, but ought to flow freely from a full heart. These words are easy to say, and take a lifetime to implement. However, like gardening, though it takes many years to learn all the techniques to a successful harvest, you can still enjoy the fruits of your labor, imperfect though it may be. So with gratitude, there are ways in which we can increase our yield and perhaps find greater happiness along the way, unfinished though our lives may be.
When my husband and I were first married, we discovered that there were months, especially while finishing college, when the paycheck did not quite fit the expenses. There seemed to be nothing for it except maybe to quit school, get another job, or move in with parents. None of the options seemed like the right thing to do, so we wondered, worried and prayed. The result? Nothing changed. We were still strapped. Then an idea occurred to me. I took out a piece of paper and began writing down all the things I had. I listed everything, including pencil and paper! After spending something like an hour writing down all the things we had and were thankful for, I realized that there was nothing to worry about. We had all we needed and the rest was insignificant by comparison. Our good parents, brothers and sisters, our children, home, life, furniture, food, shelter, church, friends, clothing, teachers, school and practically numberless other good things were overwhelmingly shouting at me to be thankful. Once I was thankful for all of that, the worry over money seemed small and petty.
The trouble with ingratitude is that it sees only the thing it lacks. It does not see any of the good things surrounding it. Ingratitude can look outside and be angry that the wind is blowing while completely ignoring the fact that the sun is shining and providing life to a whole world of beauty. The amazing thing about gratitude is that it sees only what is good and is thankful for it. It reminds me of a trip I went on with my family when I was young. We were traveling through the mountains and because of the size of our family we were in two station wagons. One of them had trouble with the slow climb up the mountain pass and every couple of miles we all had to stop while the car cooled off. Then we would go another couple of miles and stop again. This routine began to become tedious and some of the children complained that it was taking too long. Mother wisely counseled us to be thankful for the beautiful scenery and just enjoy the ride. Toward the summit of that mountain pass, I watched two motorcycles speed past us while we turned off the road for yet another rest stop. How I wished I could have gone with those motorcyclists and not have been sitting there with that old station wagon. We waited while the car cooled off, then set out again on our crawling little journey up the mountain. As we rounded the corner just a mile or so from the last turnout, all the traffic had come to a halt. “Another delay.” I thought. “Why does this have to happen?” We sat on the road for a few minutes when the curious teenagers in our vehicles decided to walk ahead to see if they could find out why we had stopped. When they came back, they were very serious and disturbed. They told us that a tree had fallen over the road, killing the two cyclists who had passed us just as we had turned off the road. The realization settled upon all of us that had we not stopped that last time the tree would likely have fallen upon our vehicle.
From that day I began to practice gratitude more than I ever did before, especially in difficult or trying circumstances. Being thankful in impossible situations has allowed me a measure of happiness where normally there would have been none. I discovered that where there are a thousand reasons to be upset or angry and there might be only one small reason to be thankful, it is always to my advantage to choose the gratitude. I reap happiness as a result and the difficult circumstances eventually pass, as they always do. But, I believe that the best reward for gratitude is in becoming a thankful person. Bitterness, anger, resentment, worry, fear, anxiety, stress (and their attendant physical maladies) gradually become a thing of the past. Gratitude is the amazing, free, miracle-working anti-serum. So, take your shot today. It can't hurt.
When my husband and I were first married, we discovered that there were months, especially while finishing college, when the paycheck did not quite fit the expenses. There seemed to be nothing for it except maybe to quit school, get another job, or move in with parents. None of the options seemed like the right thing to do, so we wondered, worried and prayed. The result? Nothing changed. We were still strapped. Then an idea occurred to me. I took out a piece of paper and began writing down all the things I had. I listed everything, including pencil and paper! After spending something like an hour writing down all the things we had and were thankful for, I realized that there was nothing to worry about. We had all we needed and the rest was insignificant by comparison. Our good parents, brothers and sisters, our children, home, life, furniture, food, shelter, church, friends, clothing, teachers, school and practically numberless other good things were overwhelmingly shouting at me to be thankful. Once I was thankful for all of that, the worry over money seemed small and petty.
The trouble with ingratitude is that it sees only the thing it lacks. It does not see any of the good things surrounding it. Ingratitude can look outside and be angry that the wind is blowing while completely ignoring the fact that the sun is shining and providing life to a whole world of beauty. The amazing thing about gratitude is that it sees only what is good and is thankful for it. It reminds me of a trip I went on with my family when I was young. We were traveling through the mountains and because of the size of our family we were in two station wagons. One of them had trouble with the slow climb up the mountain pass and every couple of miles we all had to stop while the car cooled off. Then we would go another couple of miles and stop again. This routine began to become tedious and some of the children complained that it was taking too long. Mother wisely counseled us to be thankful for the beautiful scenery and just enjoy the ride. Toward the summit of that mountain pass, I watched two motorcycles speed past us while we turned off the road for yet another rest stop. How I wished I could have gone with those motorcyclists and not have been sitting there with that old station wagon. We waited while the car cooled off, then set out again on our crawling little journey up the mountain. As we rounded the corner just a mile or so from the last turnout, all the traffic had come to a halt. “Another delay.” I thought. “Why does this have to happen?” We sat on the road for a few minutes when the curious teenagers in our vehicles decided to walk ahead to see if they could find out why we had stopped. When they came back, they were very serious and disturbed. They told us that a tree had fallen over the road, killing the two cyclists who had passed us just as we had turned off the road. The realization settled upon all of us that had we not stopped that last time the tree would likely have fallen upon our vehicle.
From that day I began to practice gratitude more than I ever did before, especially in difficult or trying circumstances. Being thankful in impossible situations has allowed me a measure of happiness where normally there would have been none. I discovered that where there are a thousand reasons to be upset or angry and there might be only one small reason to be thankful, it is always to my advantage to choose the gratitude. I reap happiness as a result and the difficult circumstances eventually pass, as they always do. But, I believe that the best reward for gratitude is in becoming a thankful person. Bitterness, anger, resentment, worry, fear, anxiety, stress (and their attendant physical maladies) gradually become a thing of the past. Gratitude is the amazing, free, miracle-working anti-serum. So, take your shot today. It can't hurt.
Monday, November 2, 2009
A Little Day Music
All my life, I have studied that thing we call 'music'. I have found it to be beyond definition, without bounds, utterly incomprehensible and completely amazing. That is probably why I love it. But in studying I have found that there are many misconceptions about music that are commonly passed around as fact. These so-called facts have become the basis for many people's lifetime perspectives on music, and form the philosophical foundation for generations of unsuspecting children to build upon. So, with the greatest care, I would like to share a little of what I have learned in an effort to debunk some of the myths about music that are prevalent today.
Many people are told at a very young age that they 'cannot carry a tune in a bucket'. It is usually a music teacher that reveals this unhappy 'truth', and the child takes those words with him to the grave. Those are the first words out of his mouth whenever music is mentioned, and the child is forever banished from the ranks of 'the musically gifted'. I can think of no greater musical tragedy than that. The truth is that there is no such thing as 'tone deaf'. A person can be deaf, yes, but if you have ears that work and can speak, you can also sing. I didn't make this up. These are the facts. But do people believe me? Unfortunately, no. People would rather believe that they are not capable of producing music. I guess it's easier than practicing.
“It takes yeeeeeeeeears to become a musician”, people will say. I suppose that this is why people start their children in piano lessons when they are very small. They want them to have enough time to get all those years behind them so they can be a musician before they are very old. Ugh! Little children are natural born musicians. They sing, dance, imitate, improvise and jam at an extremely young age, if they are allowed to. The problem arises when parents want music in neat little packages that you can turn on and off whenever it is convenient. But the truth is that children need to make noise and lots of it, in order to be able to make music. Children can be taught music when they are young because they haven't yet 'learned' that it takes years to learn, or that you have to play it 'just right' for people to listen to you. People rarely learn instruments or singing after they are grown up, because they think it takes a long time to learn, that you have to have a teacher, and that it is too hard. On top of that, they won't even try to play or sing unless they can do it perfectly. It's pitiful, really. People who are otherwise intelligent and thoughtful, acting like two-year-olds and saying, “I can't!” By the time I was eight years old I could read pretty well, so I picked up a piano book and read it, and learned to play the piano, as did my mother and grandfather before me. It didn't take forever, in fact it only took a few days. After that I just played more music so I could get faster. No mystery, no magic, no teacher, no long time.
If you think that music is a gift, you would be right. But if you think that only some people have that 'gift' you would be wrong. Everyone, even the deaf, have the gift of music. The gift of music was given to the world as a whole. There is not a soul on the planet that doesn't experience that gift in one way or another. The mistake people make is in thinking that music is some sort of elite club that can only be joined by the 'talented', the 'gifted' or the prodigy. Nothing could be more counter-productive. Music is for everyone. It is not a spectator's sport. Those who think that they can experience music when they only listen to it are like those who are content to see the Grand Canyon on television. It's nice to see it that way, but it is no comparison to being there. If you are a 'listener-only' musician, take a second look at the musician inside you. Somewhere you will find that little child who wanted to make noise. Let that child out, make some noise and LIVE the music. Music is life. Life was meant to be lived, music was meant to be made. Dancing, art, poetry, literature, and love are all music, but watching them is only the beginning. It's like watching swimmers but never getting wet. Jump in with both feet and get all wet. Once you do you will never again be content to just watch. Then you will take your place among the great musicians of the world: all of us!
Many people are told at a very young age that they 'cannot carry a tune in a bucket'. It is usually a music teacher that reveals this unhappy 'truth', and the child takes those words with him to the grave. Those are the first words out of his mouth whenever music is mentioned, and the child is forever banished from the ranks of 'the musically gifted'. I can think of no greater musical tragedy than that. The truth is that there is no such thing as 'tone deaf'. A person can be deaf, yes, but if you have ears that work and can speak, you can also sing. I didn't make this up. These are the facts. But do people believe me? Unfortunately, no. People would rather believe that they are not capable of producing music. I guess it's easier than practicing.
“It takes yeeeeeeeeears to become a musician”, people will say. I suppose that this is why people start their children in piano lessons when they are very small. They want them to have enough time to get all those years behind them so they can be a musician before they are very old. Ugh! Little children are natural born musicians. They sing, dance, imitate, improvise and jam at an extremely young age, if they are allowed to. The problem arises when parents want music in neat little packages that you can turn on and off whenever it is convenient. But the truth is that children need to make noise and lots of it, in order to be able to make music. Children can be taught music when they are young because they haven't yet 'learned' that it takes years to learn, or that you have to play it 'just right' for people to listen to you. People rarely learn instruments or singing after they are grown up, because they think it takes a long time to learn, that you have to have a teacher, and that it is too hard. On top of that, they won't even try to play or sing unless they can do it perfectly. It's pitiful, really. People who are otherwise intelligent and thoughtful, acting like two-year-olds and saying, “I can't!” By the time I was eight years old I could read pretty well, so I picked up a piano book and read it, and learned to play the piano, as did my mother and grandfather before me. It didn't take forever, in fact it only took a few days. After that I just played more music so I could get faster. No mystery, no magic, no teacher, no long time.
If you think that music is a gift, you would be right. But if you think that only some people have that 'gift' you would be wrong. Everyone, even the deaf, have the gift of music. The gift of music was given to the world as a whole. There is not a soul on the planet that doesn't experience that gift in one way or another. The mistake people make is in thinking that music is some sort of elite club that can only be joined by the 'talented', the 'gifted' or the prodigy. Nothing could be more counter-productive. Music is for everyone. It is not a spectator's sport. Those who think that they can experience music when they only listen to it are like those who are content to see the Grand Canyon on television. It's nice to see it that way, but it is no comparison to being there. If you are a 'listener-only' musician, take a second look at the musician inside you. Somewhere you will find that little child who wanted to make noise. Let that child out, make some noise and LIVE the music. Music is life. Life was meant to be lived, music was meant to be made. Dancing, art, poetry, literature, and love are all music, but watching them is only the beginning. It's like watching swimmers but never getting wet. Jump in with both feet and get all wet. Once you do you will never again be content to just watch. Then you will take your place among the great musicians of the world: all of us!
Where's My Liberty?
I was very young (sixteen) and foolish when I entered what I believed to be a scholarship pageant. I was persuaded by the invitation and application that this would be a competition based on academic excellence and intelligence, not beauty. So, encouraged by my parents and teachers, I entered the contest and boarded the bus for Jamestown, North Dakota to attend the competition. Upon arrival I began to be undeceived as to the nature of the competition when I found myself in the midst of a large group of extremely tanned, heavily made-up, fashion model-type girls, obviously competing for something besides academic excellence!
I tried to convince myself that I had at least some natural beauty and perhaps more than average intelligence, and that my attendance would not be completely in vain. After all, I thought, some people say that I am pretty smart, and that's got to count for something, right? Wrong. My skill as a model, which would have been a great asset in that competition, was almost nil, and my intelligence went completely unnoticed. Still, I had hope of at least having a small impact in the competition, on the final night when we would give our speeches to the audience. I had prepared well, and was confident of a warm reception, at least. Now, even at my young age I had noticed that there were some things in our government that had gone awry and that we needed a 'revival' of sorts to put things back to where they belonged. History seemed to be shouting that we were now going in directions unintended by those who gave their lives to bring about this most unique and wonderful condition of liberty within a unity of independent states. But, instead of affirmation, my speech was greeted with a sort of uncomfortable silence and stilted applause. I was too young to realize that there are some things that you simply cannot say to people. That is one of them.
In 1775, Patrick Henry made his famous speech in which he called for the Virginia House of Burgesses to make a declaration of war and send troops into the revolutionary conflict. His call to action was founded upon principles written in the Declaration of Independence wherein the British Government had oppressed the colonies and made life unbearable under it's tyranny. What caught my attention then, and still makes me shake my head today is that we have now come to the same condition of oppression that existed in 1775. The difference is that now, people think they deserve the freedom bequeathed to us by those who knew what it was, as well as the right to forcibly confiscate their neighbors goods. But, entitlement is the enemy of Liberty, and will prove our complete undoing if it is not put in check.
Suppose you have only two families in the whole world. Each is independent and takes care of itself. Each raises and gathers food, makes clothing and builds shelter as needed. Sometimes they trade with each other, sometimes they help each other. But one day, one family notices that the other family has three cows and they have only one. They decide that they are entitled to have three cows, just like the other family and formulate a plan to get them. So they make up a charter for both families to sign. It states that, among other things, each family will give a portion of it's goods to the other whenever there is a need, and the need will be determined by one of the family members who will be elected by the families to make such decisions and enforce them. Amidst some disagreement, the families sign the charter and begin to live normally again. But, the elected family member, who happens to be from the 'Entitlement' family, decides that the other family has had three cows long enough, and it's time to let the other family have three cows, because they deserve it. The other family is forced to comply and the cows now belong to the 'entitled' family. Thus, liberty is lost. However, no such agreement was made anywhere near 1776. But now we are told on a daily basis, in the media and by our leaders, that we are entitled to peace, health, wealth, education, food, shelter, clean air, clean water and the list goes on. But, I ask you, who is going to give it to you? Where will it come from? The only way entitlement ever comes is by force. The only way that people can convince other people to give up large portions of their property or their freedom, for the support of other people or a government (which is just more people) is to threaten them with harm if they do not. Britain tried to force the colonies, they rebelled. We, on the other hand, invite the force into our lives and the lives of others, but more than that, we feel that we, and they, deserve it.
Those famous, but vastly misunderstood, words by Patrick Henry in 1775, now ring in my ears in almost open mockery of what we have become. “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" And our reply, as a nation has become, “Give us all social security, health care, safety, food, etc. or we will kill you!”
I tried to convince myself that I had at least some natural beauty and perhaps more than average intelligence, and that my attendance would not be completely in vain. After all, I thought, some people say that I am pretty smart, and that's got to count for something, right? Wrong. My skill as a model, which would have been a great asset in that competition, was almost nil, and my intelligence went completely unnoticed. Still, I had hope of at least having a small impact in the competition, on the final night when we would give our speeches to the audience. I had prepared well, and was confident of a warm reception, at least. Now, even at my young age I had noticed that there were some things in our government that had gone awry and that we needed a 'revival' of sorts to put things back to where they belonged. History seemed to be shouting that we were now going in directions unintended by those who gave their lives to bring about this most unique and wonderful condition of liberty within a unity of independent states. But, instead of affirmation, my speech was greeted with a sort of uncomfortable silence and stilted applause. I was too young to realize that there are some things that you simply cannot say to people. That is one of them.
In 1775, Patrick Henry made his famous speech in which he called for the Virginia House of Burgesses to make a declaration of war and send troops into the revolutionary conflict. His call to action was founded upon principles written in the Declaration of Independence wherein the British Government had oppressed the colonies and made life unbearable under it's tyranny. What caught my attention then, and still makes me shake my head today is that we have now come to the same condition of oppression that existed in 1775. The difference is that now, people think they deserve the freedom bequeathed to us by those who knew what it was, as well as the right to forcibly confiscate their neighbors goods. But, entitlement is the enemy of Liberty, and will prove our complete undoing if it is not put in check.
Suppose you have only two families in the whole world. Each is independent and takes care of itself. Each raises and gathers food, makes clothing and builds shelter as needed. Sometimes they trade with each other, sometimes they help each other. But one day, one family notices that the other family has three cows and they have only one. They decide that they are entitled to have three cows, just like the other family and formulate a plan to get them. So they make up a charter for both families to sign. It states that, among other things, each family will give a portion of it's goods to the other whenever there is a need, and the need will be determined by one of the family members who will be elected by the families to make such decisions and enforce them. Amidst some disagreement, the families sign the charter and begin to live normally again. But, the elected family member, who happens to be from the 'Entitlement' family, decides that the other family has had three cows long enough, and it's time to let the other family have three cows, because they deserve it. The other family is forced to comply and the cows now belong to the 'entitled' family. Thus, liberty is lost. However, no such agreement was made anywhere near 1776. But now we are told on a daily basis, in the media and by our leaders, that we are entitled to peace, health, wealth, education, food, shelter, clean air, clean water and the list goes on. But, I ask you, who is going to give it to you? Where will it come from? The only way entitlement ever comes is by force. The only way that people can convince other people to give up large portions of their property or their freedom, for the support of other people or a government (which is just more people) is to threaten them with harm if they do not. Britain tried to force the colonies, they rebelled. We, on the other hand, invite the force into our lives and the lives of others, but more than that, we feel that we, and they, deserve it.
Those famous, but vastly misunderstood, words by Patrick Henry in 1775, now ring in my ears in almost open mockery of what we have become. “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" And our reply, as a nation has become, “Give us all social security, health care, safety, food, etc. or we will kill you!”
Whate're Thou Art
“Whate'er thou art, act well thy part”, said Shakespeare. But how do you know what 'thou art'?
Since the beginning of time, men and women have wondered what they are. This ancient question however, is even more pressing today. What we are is largely determined by what we think we are. Unfortunately, our thoughts are increasingly held captive by the modern nonsense-culture of television, movies, video games, internet, i-pods and cell phones. This inundation is greatly to the disadvantage of parents who try to teach their children who they are, and of thinking people who are simply trying to get through life. So, just for fun, let's explore the options of who and what we are, in the hopes that in knowing what we are we can then decide how best to 'act well' our part.
Obviously we are human. Being human means that we have the power to reason and give direction to our own lives. We aren't merely the victims of birth and circumstance. The chief obstacle to reason today is distraction. We are so busy working, watching, or playing that all the great thoughts of the past escape our view and we are left with the fluff of mass media trivia. Knowledge is power, but real, valuable knowledge doesn't come by sitting on the couch waiting for it.
Who or what we are also should take into account what we want to be. When you are a child, people always ask you what you want to be when you grow up. I think we should be asking ourselves that question on a daily basis. What am I, and what to I want to be? And, if I want to be something, what am I doing to make it happen. Children are always made to think about their future in terms of employment, as in: “I want to be a doctor, or a fireman”. Adults should realize that those definitions are too narrow. What you are is much bigger than your profession. It encompasses every facet of your personality. You are never done becoming who and what you are until you are done living and every decision, every thought, every act leads you inevitably to what you are.
Part of the problem with the onslaught of media in our day is that it is too easy to compare ourselves with others, or to label ourselves with the current set of popular titles. These deceptive traps are counter-productive in our search for what we are. They sometimes lead us to believe that we are stuck into a certain mode and cannot change it. But, once you decide what you want to be, you immediately have the power to become it. Time, patience and perseverance may be outmoded but they still work.
I once read a story about a woman who claimed that she never had a 'chance' in life. She expressed that view to a man who happened to be traveling through her town giving lectures. He asked her a few questions about her work, trying to find out what she was. She said that she was a mere kitchen helper who pealed potatoes. He asked her where she sat to do her job. She said that she sat on the back step of the building. He asked what the step was made of, and she replied that it was made of bricks. He asked what kind of bricks and she said that she didn't know. So, he gave her his address and told her to write to him and tell him what the brick was made of. A few days later he received her reply, and because of the excellent research she had done on the subject, he was able to print the article and publish it in a Scientific Journal. He sent her a check for the article and then asked her a few more questions and found out that there were ants under the bricks, after which the woman began her research into the types of ants she found. Her articles were published and on the proceeds of her work she was able to travel the world.
“Whate're thou art act well thy part.” Find out what you are, or would like to be. Only then can you 'act well thy part'.
Since the beginning of time, men and women have wondered what they are. This ancient question however, is even more pressing today. What we are is largely determined by what we think we are. Unfortunately, our thoughts are increasingly held captive by the modern nonsense-culture of television, movies, video games, internet, i-pods and cell phones. This inundation is greatly to the disadvantage of parents who try to teach their children who they are, and of thinking people who are simply trying to get through life. So, just for fun, let's explore the options of who and what we are, in the hopes that in knowing what we are we can then decide how best to 'act well' our part.
Obviously we are human. Being human means that we have the power to reason and give direction to our own lives. We aren't merely the victims of birth and circumstance. The chief obstacle to reason today is distraction. We are so busy working, watching, or playing that all the great thoughts of the past escape our view and we are left with the fluff of mass media trivia. Knowledge is power, but real, valuable knowledge doesn't come by sitting on the couch waiting for it.
Who or what we are also should take into account what we want to be. When you are a child, people always ask you what you want to be when you grow up. I think we should be asking ourselves that question on a daily basis. What am I, and what to I want to be? And, if I want to be something, what am I doing to make it happen. Children are always made to think about their future in terms of employment, as in: “I want to be a doctor, or a fireman”. Adults should realize that those definitions are too narrow. What you are is much bigger than your profession. It encompasses every facet of your personality. You are never done becoming who and what you are until you are done living and every decision, every thought, every act leads you inevitably to what you are.
Part of the problem with the onslaught of media in our day is that it is too easy to compare ourselves with others, or to label ourselves with the current set of popular titles. These deceptive traps are counter-productive in our search for what we are. They sometimes lead us to believe that we are stuck into a certain mode and cannot change it. But, once you decide what you want to be, you immediately have the power to become it. Time, patience and perseverance may be outmoded but they still work.
I once read a story about a woman who claimed that she never had a 'chance' in life. She expressed that view to a man who happened to be traveling through her town giving lectures. He asked her a few questions about her work, trying to find out what she was. She said that she was a mere kitchen helper who pealed potatoes. He asked her where she sat to do her job. She said that she sat on the back step of the building. He asked what the step was made of, and she replied that it was made of bricks. He asked what kind of bricks and she said that she didn't know. So, he gave her his address and told her to write to him and tell him what the brick was made of. A few days later he received her reply, and because of the excellent research she had done on the subject, he was able to print the article and publish it in a Scientific Journal. He sent her a check for the article and then asked her a few more questions and found out that there were ants under the bricks, after which the woman began her research into the types of ants she found. Her articles were published and on the proceeds of her work she was able to travel the world.
“Whate're thou art act well thy part.” Find out what you are, or would like to be. Only then can you 'act well thy part'.
What Do Parents Know?
One of the benefits of having parents is that they teach you things that you would otherwise have to learn by your own experience. My parents have taught me many of these 'secrets' of life that have helped me in ways I could not even begin to calculate. It makes me grateful for good parents, but it also makes me feel a growing responsibility to the rising generation, to pass on some of this sage advice from my parents as well as some of the knowledge I have gleaned from other wise people who have lived on this world.
“Memorizing good poetry makes you a better person” My mom used to say. “Never talk back to your elders. Sing a song when you are discouraged. Doing dishes builds character. It's easier to keep up than to catch up. Criticism hurts people. Always do the important things first, the unimportant things will wait. Children are more important than anything. Life is too good and too short to waste it. It's a small world, so keep your nose clean, and out of other people's business.”
Dad would say, “If you don't tell the truth, no one will trust you. If you started it, you finish it. You took it, you eat it. If you make a promise, you'd better keep it. Do what you think is right, even if other people don't like it. A good reputation is worth all the work it takes to get it and keep it. Being honest is more important than getting ahead. People will do things that hurt you, but that doesn't mean that you have to be miserable about it. Take it with a grain of salt. If that horse bucks you off, you get right back on him. Never give up. Yes, you can marry that person; you're the one who has to live with him.
These and many more little gems were handed to me on a daily basis as I was growing up. And, as powerful as those old maxims are, there is one thing that is even more influential in my life where my parents are concerned. When I reached an age where I started to compare myself to my parents, I started to realize things about them that had never occurred to me before. I discovered for the first time, things about my parents that they could not have told me in words.
For instance, shortly after I was born, my Dad bought a Bar. Mom, with seven children in tow, moved into the house above and adjacent to the Bar. She worked daily tending bar, ran a restaurant and over the next few years, had three more children. She made sure that we practiced the piano, even though it was in the bar, by having us wake up early, before school. We lived so far from a church that she would teach us Sunday school lessons at home on the days when we couldn't go. She would even try to persuade people to stop drinking at the bar, because she believed that it wasn't good for them. If my mom never said another word to me, I would know, by her life, what was important to her, and how to live my life better because of it.
I was just a baby when my parents moved out to the Bar. As I grew up, I just assumed that Dad had bought the bar because he wanted to own a bar. A couple of years ago, however, I learned the rest of the story. Dad had a friend who asked him to be proxy for a business transaction. Dad agreed and closed the deal in a timely manner and went back to report what he had done. His friend then decided not to complete the deal, and sent my Dad to return to the man with whom he had done the transaction. Dad said that he knew that if the deal did not go through, the man he was dealing with would be in trouble. Rather than just pass the buck, and let someone else worry about the consequences, Dad decided to complete the deal himself. He went to the bank for a loan and purchased the Bar in order to prevent the owner from receiving greater harm. If he never said anything else to me, I would know how to conduct my own life. I would know how to be noble and good.
Parents think that their children don't listen to them and that may be true. But some day, they will hear everything you had to say, only you won't have to say it. They will just know.
“Memorizing good poetry makes you a better person” My mom used to say. “Never talk back to your elders. Sing a song when you are discouraged. Doing dishes builds character. It's easier to keep up than to catch up. Criticism hurts people. Always do the important things first, the unimportant things will wait. Children are more important than anything. Life is too good and too short to waste it. It's a small world, so keep your nose clean, and out of other people's business.”
Dad would say, “If you don't tell the truth, no one will trust you. If you started it, you finish it. You took it, you eat it. If you make a promise, you'd better keep it. Do what you think is right, even if other people don't like it. A good reputation is worth all the work it takes to get it and keep it. Being honest is more important than getting ahead. People will do things that hurt you, but that doesn't mean that you have to be miserable about it. Take it with a grain of salt. If that horse bucks you off, you get right back on him. Never give up. Yes, you can marry that person; you're the one who has to live with him.
These and many more little gems were handed to me on a daily basis as I was growing up. And, as powerful as those old maxims are, there is one thing that is even more influential in my life where my parents are concerned. When I reached an age where I started to compare myself to my parents, I started to realize things about them that had never occurred to me before. I discovered for the first time, things about my parents that they could not have told me in words.
For instance, shortly after I was born, my Dad bought a Bar. Mom, with seven children in tow, moved into the house above and adjacent to the Bar. She worked daily tending bar, ran a restaurant and over the next few years, had three more children. She made sure that we practiced the piano, even though it was in the bar, by having us wake up early, before school. We lived so far from a church that she would teach us Sunday school lessons at home on the days when we couldn't go. She would even try to persuade people to stop drinking at the bar, because she believed that it wasn't good for them. If my mom never said another word to me, I would know, by her life, what was important to her, and how to live my life better because of it.
I was just a baby when my parents moved out to the Bar. As I grew up, I just assumed that Dad had bought the bar because he wanted to own a bar. A couple of years ago, however, I learned the rest of the story. Dad had a friend who asked him to be proxy for a business transaction. Dad agreed and closed the deal in a timely manner and went back to report what he had done. His friend then decided not to complete the deal, and sent my Dad to return to the man with whom he had done the transaction. Dad said that he knew that if the deal did not go through, the man he was dealing with would be in trouble. Rather than just pass the buck, and let someone else worry about the consequences, Dad decided to complete the deal himself. He went to the bank for a loan and purchased the Bar in order to prevent the owner from receiving greater harm. If he never said anything else to me, I would know how to conduct my own life. I would know how to be noble and good.
Parents think that their children don't listen to them and that may be true. But some day, they will hear everything you had to say, only you won't have to say it. They will just know.
A Simple, Home-made Recipe
Success is as illusive as riches, as hard to define as love, and as fleeting as youth. No one who has lived long on this earth can entirely escape the battle to win it and yet there are very few, I think, who would count themselves among the numbers who have won it. It isn't something you can win once and be done, but it must be won continually and the battle fought daily. Many lose heart and quit fighting, others lose their way, looking for success in easy things, deceiving themselves, and still others think that success is for someone else and make no real attempt to find it. If we can agree that almost everyone would like to have success then I can show that everyone who wants it can achieve it, if they know how.
Success can be divided into two types; the first being a short-term, goal-oriented, daily type and the second a long-term, what-you-have-become, personal type. Dividing success this way helps us to stay away from the trap of thinking that all success is the same, hence all failure is the same. I could be a thief, and successfully plan and carry out a robbery while failing to live up to the best within myself. In this case, success and failure are the same. It seems important then, that we decide early and often what it is we hope to become, long-term and tailor our short-term goals to fit the picture we have of ourselves.
Defining short and long-term success can only be done by the individual. Only you can decide what you want out of life and only you can achieve it. We set ourselves up for failure by not defining success and then become angry with ourselves for failing. It is like expecting a child to navigate a busy street blindfolded, then punishing them for getting hit by a car.
For me, short-term success is first of all, being alive. I consider it a daily success when I can open my eyes on this world and see another day. There were times in my life when I thought I would not live to see the morning, so when I do, that is success. Happiness is also success whenever and wherever I find it or share it. I learned to do those things that gave me a sense of well-being and lasting happiness and I learned to avoid doing things that caused me to be less than satisfied with myself. I stopped looking for more money, more things, and more authority. Those dark treasures are like a drug; they put you to sleep while real success passes you by. When I started measuring the success of my day by the amount of time I spent being happy I discovered that I didn't need any other success than that.
Long-term success requires more planning and consideration than short-term, but the rewards are far-reaching and well worth the effort. I have attended numerous funerals in my life, and I am always amazed at the lives of the ordinary people around me. I am confident that the people whose funerals I attended would not have thought of themselves as successful by any standard, but the people who attended the funerals, including those who were not acquainted with the deceased, in every case were convinced of the ultimate success of that individual. But why should there be such a difference in how others view our success and how we view it? I think it all boils down to size. We want to measure our success by a big measuring stick, like how big our house was, how much money we made, how many awards we received, how many people we impressed, how long the applause lasted etc.
But in the end, the people at the funerals invariably talked about the success of the person in terms of how much they loved and were loved. Leave out the awards, the applause, the money, the accomplishments and what do you have? Just the person you have become. Ask yourself what kind of person you want to become and you will have the recipe for success. Once you have the recipe, the cookin's easy.
Define success and you will achieve it. And remember that success is not necessarily happiness, but true happiness will always be success.
Success can be divided into two types; the first being a short-term, goal-oriented, daily type and the second a long-term, what-you-have-become, personal type. Dividing success this way helps us to stay away from the trap of thinking that all success is the same, hence all failure is the same. I could be a thief, and successfully plan and carry out a robbery while failing to live up to the best within myself. In this case, success and failure are the same. It seems important then, that we decide early and often what it is we hope to become, long-term and tailor our short-term goals to fit the picture we have of ourselves.
Defining short and long-term success can only be done by the individual. Only you can decide what you want out of life and only you can achieve it. We set ourselves up for failure by not defining success and then become angry with ourselves for failing. It is like expecting a child to navigate a busy street blindfolded, then punishing them for getting hit by a car.
For me, short-term success is first of all, being alive. I consider it a daily success when I can open my eyes on this world and see another day. There were times in my life when I thought I would not live to see the morning, so when I do, that is success. Happiness is also success whenever and wherever I find it or share it. I learned to do those things that gave me a sense of well-being and lasting happiness and I learned to avoid doing things that caused me to be less than satisfied with myself. I stopped looking for more money, more things, and more authority. Those dark treasures are like a drug; they put you to sleep while real success passes you by. When I started measuring the success of my day by the amount of time I spent being happy I discovered that I didn't need any other success than that.
Long-term success requires more planning and consideration than short-term, but the rewards are far-reaching and well worth the effort. I have attended numerous funerals in my life, and I am always amazed at the lives of the ordinary people around me. I am confident that the people whose funerals I attended would not have thought of themselves as successful by any standard, but the people who attended the funerals, including those who were not acquainted with the deceased, in every case were convinced of the ultimate success of that individual. But why should there be such a difference in how others view our success and how we view it? I think it all boils down to size. We want to measure our success by a big measuring stick, like how big our house was, how much money we made, how many awards we received, how many people we impressed, how long the applause lasted etc.
But in the end, the people at the funerals invariably talked about the success of the person in terms of how much they loved and were loved. Leave out the awards, the applause, the money, the accomplishments and what do you have? Just the person you have become. Ask yourself what kind of person you want to become and you will have the recipe for success. Once you have the recipe, the cookin's easy.
Define success and you will achieve it. And remember that success is not necessarily happiness, but true happiness will always be success.
Remember the Sneeches
Someone once said that there are three kinds of people. There are people who talk about other people; there are people who talk about situations; and there are people who talk about principles. The problem is that there is little meaningful communication between the three groups. Those 'birds of a feather' really do flock together. When that happens, we have class distinction and social unrest of all kinds. Dr. Seuss' “Star-bellied Sneeches” is a good illustration of this phenomenon.
In his story there are three kinds of creatures: the sneeches with stars, the sneeches with no stars, and the entrepreneur. The sneeches with stars, believe that they are better than the sneeches with none, and as a result, they leave them out of all their parties. The sneeches with no stars believe that they are just as good as the other sneeches and could prove it if they were only given a chance. The entrepreneur knows that they are both vulnerable, so he sets up a business to both remove and implant stars on bellies. In the end, after the entrepreneur has fleeced them of all their money, the sneeches realize how foolish they have been and begin to try to understand one another and have meaningful relationships without regard to stars or the lack of them.
To dig a little deeper into the story, the sneeches with stars are most worried about people. They are concerned that they will have the 'wrong' sort of people at their gatherings, so they maintain the division of class distinction with appearance as the chief distinguishing quality. The sneeches with no stars are most concerned about getting a fair chance. They feel that if they had the right parents or circumstances they would be equal to the sneeches with stars. The entrepreneur on the other hand, knows the principles of successful business and uses them. He has no star, nor does he want one.
In today's world, we are not so neatly divided into easily classified groups, like sneeches. However, I think it is valuable to look at some of the parallels to our own lives. Right now, there is a world-wide culture that revolves around the “Stars” in Hollywood. To look, act, dress, eat and live like them is the focus of many lives, and unfortunately many children's lives as well. There is also a group of people who feel left out of that culture because of the lack of money or other opportunities. Then, there are those today who make it their business to sell that culture to those who want it, taking advantage of both groups and making a huge profit. Sound a little like sneeches?
Then there are people who talk about heroes, wave the flag and vote every year. There are those who have become cynical and do none of those things. And there are those who stand up for what they believe in and actually do something about it. The big question in my mind lately has been, “Where are we going and why are we in this hand-basket?” The businessman in our story has just about cleaned us out of all our sneech dough and I think it's time that a few of us sneeches started to wake up to the fact that there is something more going on here than just stars on bellies! Someone is walking away with the goods and it isn't us.
Do you think that ordinary sneeches are capable of intelligent thought? Do you think that their understanding could make a difference in the world in which they live? Do you think that if the sneeches got wise to the entrepreneur's game early enough that they could put a stop to the fleecing before it was too late. If so, then you are just the sort of person required to beat the entrepreneur at his own game. The ordinary sneeches were not smart enough to figure out what he was doing until ALL their money was gone. It was only then that their intelligence kicked in and they started to think. But if you are the same kind of person as the entrepreneur, then you can think and act on intelligent principles BEFORE it is too late.
May you be a sneech who thinks. And may you find others like yourself.
In his story there are three kinds of creatures: the sneeches with stars, the sneeches with no stars, and the entrepreneur. The sneeches with stars, believe that they are better than the sneeches with none, and as a result, they leave them out of all their parties. The sneeches with no stars believe that they are just as good as the other sneeches and could prove it if they were only given a chance. The entrepreneur knows that they are both vulnerable, so he sets up a business to both remove and implant stars on bellies. In the end, after the entrepreneur has fleeced them of all their money, the sneeches realize how foolish they have been and begin to try to understand one another and have meaningful relationships without regard to stars or the lack of them.
To dig a little deeper into the story, the sneeches with stars are most worried about people. They are concerned that they will have the 'wrong' sort of people at their gatherings, so they maintain the division of class distinction with appearance as the chief distinguishing quality. The sneeches with no stars are most concerned about getting a fair chance. They feel that if they had the right parents or circumstances they would be equal to the sneeches with stars. The entrepreneur on the other hand, knows the principles of successful business and uses them. He has no star, nor does he want one.
In today's world, we are not so neatly divided into easily classified groups, like sneeches. However, I think it is valuable to look at some of the parallels to our own lives. Right now, there is a world-wide culture that revolves around the “Stars” in Hollywood. To look, act, dress, eat and live like them is the focus of many lives, and unfortunately many children's lives as well. There is also a group of people who feel left out of that culture because of the lack of money or other opportunities. Then, there are those today who make it their business to sell that culture to those who want it, taking advantage of both groups and making a huge profit. Sound a little like sneeches?
Then there are people who talk about heroes, wave the flag and vote every year. There are those who have become cynical and do none of those things. And there are those who stand up for what they believe in and actually do something about it. The big question in my mind lately has been, “Where are we going and why are we in this hand-basket?” The businessman in our story has just about cleaned us out of all our sneech dough and I think it's time that a few of us sneeches started to wake up to the fact that there is something more going on here than just stars on bellies! Someone is walking away with the goods and it isn't us.
Do you think that ordinary sneeches are capable of intelligent thought? Do you think that their understanding could make a difference in the world in which they live? Do you think that if the sneeches got wise to the entrepreneur's game early enough that they could put a stop to the fleecing before it was too late. If so, then you are just the sort of person required to beat the entrepreneur at his own game. The ordinary sneeches were not smart enough to figure out what he was doing until ALL their money was gone. It was only then that their intelligence kicked in and they started to think. But if you are the same kind of person as the entrepreneur, then you can think and act on intelligent principles BEFORE it is too late.
May you be a sneech who thinks. And may you find others like yourself.
Old Wisdom for New Times
“The Vicar of Wakefield” by Oliver Goldsmith is a two-hundred and fifty year old book that used to be required reading for all English students. Since my mother was in school over sixty years ago, it has fallen into disuse behind such works as “1984” and “Lord of the Flies”, whose value is unquestioned among teachers today, but in the face of the economic trouble that looms on the horizon I think it would be valuable to take a look at the old Vicar and what he has to tell us.
In this story, the Vicar of Wakefield is a happy, successful man with an average family who is preparing for the marriage of their eldest son to the daughter of another well-to-do neighboring minister. Just prior to the wedding, the Vicar's family learns that their agent, whom they trusted, has run off with all their inheritance and they are left penniless. The Vicar decides to take a job in a smaller more humble community where his family learns to scale down their expenses.
The unfortunate son who was to be wed, now finds that the bride's family is unwilling to approve the match due to the indigent circumstances of the groom's family so he decides to leave home to try and support himself and make his own fortune. The family at home begins to live relatively peacefully until their dishonest, wealthy neighbor begins to court their eldest daughter. Among other things, the family endures the burning down of their home, the illness of their father, the eldest daughter eloping with the philandering wealthy neighbor, the second daughter falling in love with a vagrant, the father being sent to prison because he is too ill to work to pay his debts, and the eldest son having no success in his work abroad.
All seems lost and indeed it would have been had not the vagrant turned out to be their wealthy neighbor and the philandering scoundrel his nephew. All ends right and the Vicar's faith is justified. Finally, peace is restored, as well as the family's lost fortune.
But it is not just the story that makes this book great. Throughout the book you begin to see that Oliver Goldsmith understood people and life. He offers sound wisdom in the face of the most trying circumstances. Precious indeed in these times of uncertainty.
Among others, this little story is told in the book that illustrates both the humor and the wisdom of Mr. Goldsmith: “Once upon a time, a Giant and a Dwarf were friends. They made a bargain that they would never forsake each other, but go seek adventures. The first battle they fought was with two Saracens, and the Dwarf, who was very courageous, dealt one of the champions a most angry blow. It did the Saracen but very little injury, who lifting up his sword, fairly struck off the poor Dwarf's arm. He was now in a woeful plight; but the Giant coming to his assistance in a short time left the two Saracens dead on the plain.
They then traveled on to another adventure. This was against three bloody-minded Satyrs who were carrying away a damsel in distress. The Dwarf was not quite so fierce now as before, but for all that struck the first blow, which was returned by another that knocked out his eye; but the Giant was soon up with them, and had they not fled, would certainly have killed them every one. They were all very joyful for this victory, and the damsel who was relieved fell in love with the Giant and married him. They now traveled far, till they met with a company of robbers. The Giant, for the first time, was foremost now, but the Dwarf was not far behind. The battle was stout and long. Wherever the Giant came all fell before him; but the Dwarf had like to have been killed more than once. At last the victory declared for the two adventurers; but the Dwarf lost his leg. The Dwarf was now without an arm, a leg and an eye, while the Giant, who was without a single wound, cried out to him, 'Come on my little hero, this is glorious sport; let us get one victory more, and then we shall have honor forever.' -- 'No,' cries the Dwarf, who was by this time grown wiser, 'I'll fight no more; for I find in every battle that you get all the honor and rewards, but all the blows fall upon me.'”
It seems to me that there is a Giant at work today, looking for fights, gaining all the rewards and leaving a Dwarf wounded and bleeding in the battle-field. When will they ever learn?
In this story, the Vicar of Wakefield is a happy, successful man with an average family who is preparing for the marriage of their eldest son to the daughter of another well-to-do neighboring minister. Just prior to the wedding, the Vicar's family learns that their agent, whom they trusted, has run off with all their inheritance and they are left penniless. The Vicar decides to take a job in a smaller more humble community where his family learns to scale down their expenses.
The unfortunate son who was to be wed, now finds that the bride's family is unwilling to approve the match due to the indigent circumstances of the groom's family so he decides to leave home to try and support himself and make his own fortune. The family at home begins to live relatively peacefully until their dishonest, wealthy neighbor begins to court their eldest daughter. Among other things, the family endures the burning down of their home, the illness of their father, the eldest daughter eloping with the philandering wealthy neighbor, the second daughter falling in love with a vagrant, the father being sent to prison because he is too ill to work to pay his debts, and the eldest son having no success in his work abroad.
All seems lost and indeed it would have been had not the vagrant turned out to be their wealthy neighbor and the philandering scoundrel his nephew. All ends right and the Vicar's faith is justified. Finally, peace is restored, as well as the family's lost fortune.
But it is not just the story that makes this book great. Throughout the book you begin to see that Oliver Goldsmith understood people and life. He offers sound wisdom in the face of the most trying circumstances. Precious indeed in these times of uncertainty.
Among others, this little story is told in the book that illustrates both the humor and the wisdom of Mr. Goldsmith: “Once upon a time, a Giant and a Dwarf were friends. They made a bargain that they would never forsake each other, but go seek adventures. The first battle they fought was with two Saracens, and the Dwarf, who was very courageous, dealt one of the champions a most angry blow. It did the Saracen but very little injury, who lifting up his sword, fairly struck off the poor Dwarf's arm. He was now in a woeful plight; but the Giant coming to his assistance in a short time left the two Saracens dead on the plain.
They then traveled on to another adventure. This was against three bloody-minded Satyrs who were carrying away a damsel in distress. The Dwarf was not quite so fierce now as before, but for all that struck the first blow, which was returned by another that knocked out his eye; but the Giant was soon up with them, and had they not fled, would certainly have killed them every one. They were all very joyful for this victory, and the damsel who was relieved fell in love with the Giant and married him. They now traveled far, till they met with a company of robbers. The Giant, for the first time, was foremost now, but the Dwarf was not far behind. The battle was stout and long. Wherever the Giant came all fell before him; but the Dwarf had like to have been killed more than once. At last the victory declared for the two adventurers; but the Dwarf lost his leg. The Dwarf was now without an arm, a leg and an eye, while the Giant, who was without a single wound, cried out to him, 'Come on my little hero, this is glorious sport; let us get one victory more, and then we shall have honor forever.' -- 'No,' cries the Dwarf, who was by this time grown wiser, 'I'll fight no more; for I find in every battle that you get all the honor and rewards, but all the blows fall upon me.'”
It seems to me that there is a Giant at work today, looking for fights, gaining all the rewards and leaving a Dwarf wounded and bleeding in the battle-field. When will they ever learn?
No Coloring Books, Please
When I was attending Utah State University, I took a class from an aged Doctor of Music. One day in class, he was discussing something with us that seemed rather unusual to me. I can still recall the somewhat wistful sound in his voice and, mind you, he was not a sentimental man to begin with, when he said that the best tone he had ever heard from any saxophone player in his fifty-plus years of teaching, had come from a young boy he had taught at the University who had never had a lesson in his life but had learned to play the instrument with a book and an old phonograph record. The boy would listen to the record and imitate the sound, then study in the book to learn the notes. My teacher said that there was no other player he had ever met with that could match this boy's ability. This one-of-a-kind boy was unique in this teacher's music career and he was visibly sad that there was only one.
In an article on early childhood education, Susan Striker said: "Please, never give a child coloring books, dot-to-dot, magic paint with water or similar anti-art toys. These items are counterproductive and children can become dependent on them very quickly. It is through these kinds of art activities that we inadvertently rob children of self-confidence and joy in producing their own work. Coloring books are often kids' first experience with anything resembling art. They are presented as art projects, but in fact, they are the worst possible introduction to art. In a child's mind, how could their drawing ever look as perfect as something drawn by an adult? The impact goes beyond art. This kind of exercise stifles creative and independent thinking in general.“
Now, what do a saxophone player and a coloring book have in common? Well, have you ever tried to do something daring or different, something that maybe other people were afraid to do and someone you know happened to be nearby when you began the attempt and they looked at you askance and said something like: “What are you trying to do?” The eyebrows go up and they raise their voice so that everyone within earshot can hear the question until suddenly everyone is mocking and pointing fingers. Unfortunately this happens all the time. Whether you play the saxophone or draw or color or just play Tiddly Winks there seems to be no shortage of critics who insist that you color within the lines.
I recall the story of an Olympic runner, Eric Liddell, who ran with a most unusual style. He didn't have a professional coach, but he ran for the love of it, and simply did it the way that came easiest for him. He was, by the way, highly successful in the1924 Olympics. But to me, his greater success was in living his life his own way, even at the expense of being laughed at. Too often we try so hard to color within the lines, or to play our instrument to please the teacher that we forget who we are. Independent individuals do not color in the lines, nor do they play to the teacher. From the article by Susan Striker again: “If a children are exposed to coloring books and other "rules," by the time they are in third grade or earlier, they become hesitant and afraid to draw on a blank piece of paper because in their mind, it won't look as good as the outlined sheets and coloring books on which they have worked and been praised.” I have witnessed this phenomenon in my own children. I combat it with a blank piece of paper.
If you want to learn something or do something, do it. Do it in your own way or the way that seems best to you. Most often, this is the road to success. After all, when was the last time you saw an art exhibit displaying someone's 'marvelous paint-by-number' work? So it is with anything. Yes, you need to be prepared for people to laugh a little when you step out of the lines to do your work because most people have lived their lives just coloring within the lines. They laughed at Columbus, Edison, Galileo, Michelangelo, Mozart, and Eric Liddell. But no one is laughing at them now.
In an article on early childhood education, Susan Striker said: "Please, never give a child coloring books, dot-to-dot, magic paint with water or similar anti-art toys. These items are counterproductive and children can become dependent on them very quickly. It is through these kinds of art activities that we inadvertently rob children of self-confidence and joy in producing their own work. Coloring books are often kids' first experience with anything resembling art. They are presented as art projects, but in fact, they are the worst possible introduction to art. In a child's mind, how could their drawing ever look as perfect as something drawn by an adult? The impact goes beyond art. This kind of exercise stifles creative and independent thinking in general.“
Now, what do a saxophone player and a coloring book have in common? Well, have you ever tried to do something daring or different, something that maybe other people were afraid to do and someone you know happened to be nearby when you began the attempt and they looked at you askance and said something like: “What are you trying to do?” The eyebrows go up and they raise their voice so that everyone within earshot can hear the question until suddenly everyone is mocking and pointing fingers. Unfortunately this happens all the time. Whether you play the saxophone or draw or color or just play Tiddly Winks there seems to be no shortage of critics who insist that you color within the lines.
I recall the story of an Olympic runner, Eric Liddell, who ran with a most unusual style. He didn't have a professional coach, but he ran for the love of it, and simply did it the way that came easiest for him. He was, by the way, highly successful in the1924 Olympics. But to me, his greater success was in living his life his own way, even at the expense of being laughed at. Too often we try so hard to color within the lines, or to play our instrument to please the teacher that we forget who we are. Independent individuals do not color in the lines, nor do they play to the teacher. From the article by Susan Striker again: “If a children are exposed to coloring books and other "rules," by the time they are in third grade or earlier, they become hesitant and afraid to draw on a blank piece of paper because in their mind, it won't look as good as the outlined sheets and coloring books on which they have worked and been praised.” I have witnessed this phenomenon in my own children. I combat it with a blank piece of paper.
If you want to learn something or do something, do it. Do it in your own way or the way that seems best to you. Most often, this is the road to success. After all, when was the last time you saw an art exhibit displaying someone's 'marvelous paint-by-number' work? So it is with anything. Yes, you need to be prepared for people to laugh a little when you step out of the lines to do your work because most people have lived their lives just coloring within the lines. They laughed at Columbus, Edison, Galileo, Michelangelo, Mozart, and Eric Liddell. But no one is laughing at them now.
I Choose Freedom
“No man who is truly free can be imprisoned,” says my sixteen-year-old daughter. I think I would have to agree with her. Freedom is not something that is granted to you by laws, governments or people. Freedom is a quality of mind that can be achieved by anyone capable of self-determination. Hence, a man can be free in any circumstance if he understands the nature of freedom.
When I was a child I understood freedom as the absence of physical restraint. Young people today clamor for 'freedom' by this definition. They want no restraint and call this freedom. But an elementary understanding of life will teach them that without restraint there can be no freedom. Imagine taking away basic traffic rules and restraints. The road would not be a safe place. There would be little freedom to travel because the danger would be too great. Freedom is not the absence of restrictions.
So, what is freedom? I like the example of the priest in Dumas' “The Count of Monte Cristo”. In this book, Edmond Dantes and the abbe Faria are imprisoned at the same time. Dantes, bitter and jealous because of his false imprisonment, follows a slow path to insanity wondering why life is treating him so badly. The abbe on the other hand, though also wrongly imprisoned, has used every moment of his time and every possible resource at his disposal to create a life and a legacy. Dantes, while tunneling to escape, mistakenly reaches the abbe's cell and they meet and become friends. The abbe begins to teach Dantes and through their discussions the abbe uncovers the evidence of the plot laid to falsly accuse Dantes so that he could be sent to prison.
The abbe also shows Dantes the book he has painstakingly written on his shirt. Dantes is surprised at the abbe's amazing ingenuity, and is also ashamed at his own lack of it. Both men were free to use their minds to whatever end they chose. One man chose the path of self-pity and regret. The other chose the path of freedom and used his mind and resources to his and Dantes' advantage. Ultimately, Dantes' escape and future life were made possible by the abbe's use of his freedom.
Freedom then, has less to do with circumstance than with thought. So what are people referring to when on the Fourth of July, Veteran's Day, or Memorial Day, they talk about the “freedoms we enjoy in this country”?
In January 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt made his “Four Freedoms” speech. The first two, freedom of speech and freedom of religion are spoken of in the Constitution. These are essentially freedoms of thought, or freedoms of the mind. This is the kind of freedom which if a man have he cannot be imprisoned. His freedom is not in his circumstances. But the next two he mentions are freedom from want and freedom from fear. He claims that all men are 'entitled' to these freedoms and that it is the job of governments to provide them.
There have always been bullies. Tyranny and oppression have never been absent from governments. These evils must be dealt with in any way that we can. But freedom from oppression by governments seems to elude even the most vigilant of people because it is too often obscured by those who preach 'freedom from want' or 'freedom from fear'. People justify oppression to meet these ends and few today would argue the point. Governments have no more rights than people have. If it is wrong for one man to steal from his neighbor to feed his friend, it is wrong for governments to do so. Thus, freedom from oppression should be our objective, not freedom from want. Trying to supply the wants of everyone will only lead to the oppression of everyone.
Freedoms of the mind cannot be granted to me by anyone. They are a choice I make. No one can cause me to be free from fear or ignorance. No one can force me to use my intellectual freedom to think. But governments can force people to pay so that everyone can be free from want. So we oppress one man to free another. Governments are only people. Me and you, in fact. Do we have the right to force people to be free? No, it is an oxymoron. It cannot be done. We are not free when we are oppressed in this manner, and we do not and cannot force anyone to be truly free either. Freedom of mind is a choice and all other conditions imposed upon us by force are not freedom and do not deserve to be called by that name.
When I was a child I understood freedom as the absence of physical restraint. Young people today clamor for 'freedom' by this definition. They want no restraint and call this freedom. But an elementary understanding of life will teach them that without restraint there can be no freedom. Imagine taking away basic traffic rules and restraints. The road would not be a safe place. There would be little freedom to travel because the danger would be too great. Freedom is not the absence of restrictions.
So, what is freedom? I like the example of the priest in Dumas' “The Count of Monte Cristo”. In this book, Edmond Dantes and the abbe Faria are imprisoned at the same time. Dantes, bitter and jealous because of his false imprisonment, follows a slow path to insanity wondering why life is treating him so badly. The abbe on the other hand, though also wrongly imprisoned, has used every moment of his time and every possible resource at his disposal to create a life and a legacy. Dantes, while tunneling to escape, mistakenly reaches the abbe's cell and they meet and become friends. The abbe begins to teach Dantes and through their discussions the abbe uncovers the evidence of the plot laid to falsly accuse Dantes so that he could be sent to prison.
The abbe also shows Dantes the book he has painstakingly written on his shirt. Dantes is surprised at the abbe's amazing ingenuity, and is also ashamed at his own lack of it. Both men were free to use their minds to whatever end they chose. One man chose the path of self-pity and regret. The other chose the path of freedom and used his mind and resources to his and Dantes' advantage. Ultimately, Dantes' escape and future life were made possible by the abbe's use of his freedom.
Freedom then, has less to do with circumstance than with thought. So what are people referring to when on the Fourth of July, Veteran's Day, or Memorial Day, they talk about the “freedoms we enjoy in this country”?
In January 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt made his “Four Freedoms” speech. The first two, freedom of speech and freedom of religion are spoken of in the Constitution. These are essentially freedoms of thought, or freedoms of the mind. This is the kind of freedom which if a man have he cannot be imprisoned. His freedom is not in his circumstances. But the next two he mentions are freedom from want and freedom from fear. He claims that all men are 'entitled' to these freedoms and that it is the job of governments to provide them.
There have always been bullies. Tyranny and oppression have never been absent from governments. These evils must be dealt with in any way that we can. But freedom from oppression by governments seems to elude even the most vigilant of people because it is too often obscured by those who preach 'freedom from want' or 'freedom from fear'. People justify oppression to meet these ends and few today would argue the point. Governments have no more rights than people have. If it is wrong for one man to steal from his neighbor to feed his friend, it is wrong for governments to do so. Thus, freedom from oppression should be our objective, not freedom from want. Trying to supply the wants of everyone will only lead to the oppression of everyone.
Freedoms of the mind cannot be granted to me by anyone. They are a choice I make. No one can cause me to be free from fear or ignorance. No one can force me to use my intellectual freedom to think. But governments can force people to pay so that everyone can be free from want. So we oppress one man to free another. Governments are only people. Me and you, in fact. Do we have the right to force people to be free? No, it is an oxymoron. It cannot be done. We are not free when we are oppressed in this manner, and we do not and cannot force anyone to be truly free either. Freedom of mind is a choice and all other conditions imposed upon us by force are not freedom and do not deserve to be called by that name.
Children, the Master Teachers
I'm always coming across those books like, “Everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarten”, or “What your child needs to know in the first grade” or something like that. But I have a new one. I would call it, “Everything worth knowing can be taught to you by a child”. You'd be surprised what a child can teach you. The trick is to learn.
One of the first things I learned from a child, and I mean really learned, not just lip service to some vague principle, was discipline. Most people perceive discipline to be some sort of corporal punishment for unacceptable behavior. However, the word discipline comes from the word disciple, meaning, follower. I learned from children that force begets force, fear begets fear, and love begets love. I learned that if I wanted the child to follow me, or be disciplined in a certain pattern of living, I first had to show the child the pattern by living it myself, then allow them to follow. In other words, I couldn't expect the child to go to bed at a certain hour if I myself did not also go at the same time, or I couldn't expect the child to be kind to others if I was always unkind to them, ie spanking, yelling, punishing. When I used my own life as the model, the children followed, without even thinking about it. I learned from children that force never works but true discipline always does.
Another lesson I learned from a child was that whining works. One day, as I was lamenting the fact that the children seemed able to wheedle almost anything out of me by whining about it enough, I realized that I had hit on an amazing principle. That is, that people will do almost anything to stop a whiner. Now that might sound like nothing special, but I realized in that moment that I had been wasting my time with consequences and punishments, threats and force. When it came to getting the chores done, or taking baths or anything else for that matter, I simply needed to start whining! Yes, that sounds bad, but the results are indisputable. I invented my own kind of whining that works wonders.
Children, when faced with a calm, quiet, unrelenting, insistent voice reminding them to do their job, are just as weak as you and I are and eventually they will do what you ask just to shut you up. It works. The first few times might take a bit of time, but after that, they just do it because they know that you will not give up until you get your way, just like they do. And, as long as you do not become angry, or impatient it will win over even the most stubborn customer. I love chore time at our house now, because they see me coming and they get to work. I don't have to say anything except what jobs need to be done. The work gets done and everybody is happy.
One of the toughest lessons to learn from a child is that people don't want easy things to do. Children are especially optimistic and will take on any challenge no matter how impossible it seems. One of the secrets to happiness is learning to have faith in yourself and others enough to let them try the impossible. How many times do children ask their parents if they can build a tree house, or ride a long way on their bike, or run a power tool? So, let them. Maybe not every time, but sometimes. Give them the hard job. Let them take a turn and watch them. Children grow up in the light of your approval while you watch them do the hard things that you do.
I knew a woman who never allowed her children into her kitchen. She cooked for them, and they ate it, but they never got their fingers in the dough, never tried making cookies or a cake, never knew the joy of success that comes when Mom or Dad watches you do a hard thing, like following a recipe when you are eight. Of course I don't just turn them loose on a motor and say, “There it is, fix it!” But, when you allow them to watch and help and participate while you do it, then you have made the impossible possible for them, and they will be forever grateful.
These few things that I have learned from children have been the most important lessons of my life. And, with a few more years of practice, I may be just about as good as some of those children. One can only hope.
One of the first things I learned from a child, and I mean really learned, not just lip service to some vague principle, was discipline. Most people perceive discipline to be some sort of corporal punishment for unacceptable behavior. However, the word discipline comes from the word disciple, meaning, follower. I learned from children that force begets force, fear begets fear, and love begets love. I learned that if I wanted the child to follow me, or be disciplined in a certain pattern of living, I first had to show the child the pattern by living it myself, then allow them to follow. In other words, I couldn't expect the child to go to bed at a certain hour if I myself did not also go at the same time, or I couldn't expect the child to be kind to others if I was always unkind to them, ie spanking, yelling, punishing. When I used my own life as the model, the children followed, without even thinking about it. I learned from children that force never works but true discipline always does.
Another lesson I learned from a child was that whining works. One day, as I was lamenting the fact that the children seemed able to wheedle almost anything out of me by whining about it enough, I realized that I had hit on an amazing principle. That is, that people will do almost anything to stop a whiner. Now that might sound like nothing special, but I realized in that moment that I had been wasting my time with consequences and punishments, threats and force. When it came to getting the chores done, or taking baths or anything else for that matter, I simply needed to start whining! Yes, that sounds bad, but the results are indisputable. I invented my own kind of whining that works wonders.
Children, when faced with a calm, quiet, unrelenting, insistent voice reminding them to do their job, are just as weak as you and I are and eventually they will do what you ask just to shut you up. It works. The first few times might take a bit of time, but after that, they just do it because they know that you will not give up until you get your way, just like they do. And, as long as you do not become angry, or impatient it will win over even the most stubborn customer. I love chore time at our house now, because they see me coming and they get to work. I don't have to say anything except what jobs need to be done. The work gets done and everybody is happy.
One of the toughest lessons to learn from a child is that people don't want easy things to do. Children are especially optimistic and will take on any challenge no matter how impossible it seems. One of the secrets to happiness is learning to have faith in yourself and others enough to let them try the impossible. How many times do children ask their parents if they can build a tree house, or ride a long way on their bike, or run a power tool? So, let them. Maybe not every time, but sometimes. Give them the hard job. Let them take a turn and watch them. Children grow up in the light of your approval while you watch them do the hard things that you do.
I knew a woman who never allowed her children into her kitchen. She cooked for them, and they ate it, but they never got their fingers in the dough, never tried making cookies or a cake, never knew the joy of success that comes when Mom or Dad watches you do a hard thing, like following a recipe when you are eight. Of course I don't just turn them loose on a motor and say, “There it is, fix it!” But, when you allow them to watch and help and participate while you do it, then you have made the impossible possible for them, and they will be forever grateful.
These few things that I have learned from children have been the most important lessons of my life. And, with a few more years of practice, I may be just about as good as some of those children. One can only hope.
That's a Naughty Word
There are words which in our home we do not speak. Most homes have a set of rules that include words and behaviors that are forbidden, but in our home there is one word that I consider to be worse than the others because of the damage that it does. It is not a vulgar word, nor is it one that would be considered sacrilegious. This word is common among children and adults alike. Parents often encourage the use of this word because it gives them an excuse to do things they wouldn't normally do. In fact, it has become an icon of the American way of life. I speak of none other than the word, (oh, I just can't bring myself to say it!) BORED.
To define the word I go to Webster's New World Dictionary. The word 'bore' comes from the root word 'bor' meaning augur. The first meaning of the word is to drill a hole. The alternate meaning is a tiresome, dull person or thing. 'Boredom' is the condition of being bored or uninterested; ennui. 'Ennui' means weariness resulting from inactivity or lack of interest. So we have a picture here of a downward spiral drilling a hole and going nowhere, as well as a shameful lack of interest. Interest, by the way, means to have a right or claim in something.
To define words is to know them. To know them and hence understand them is to gain the power to use them. Thus, in defining boredom I gain power to combat it. When I was a child I had an instinctive revulsion for the word. I respected my own intellect far too much to ever accuse it of being bored. When I lacked the means at my disposal to interest me, my own mind would supply the deficiency. In other words, I would think.
The mind is capable of tremendous feats of imagination, skill, memory, creativity, deduction and discovery. Why, I thought to myself, should I wallow in boredom when I own one of the most amazing machines in the universe, namely, my own mind? Every book that was ever written was imagined first in someone's mind. Every scientific discovery, every invention, every work of art, every piece of music, every great accomplishment in this or any other world was accomplished first in someone's mind. To be bored is to take this most amazing gift and drill it into a hole. To demand that it be 'entertained' is to insult the native intelligence of the human mind. To me it is like putting Einstein in a cage and giving him a rattle to play with. The mind does not want entertainment, it wants something to do!
That is not to say that there is no place for entertainment. There must be some diversion in life. But when the mind lacks diversion it should never bore itself into a hole and become disinterested. Depression is like that. Creativity and/or mental exertion is the antidote for it. To create or think is to spiral upward, to become interested and to try.
Once I heard a mother say to her friend as they both watched her son fidget in the line in which they were waiting: “He's so bored.” If she had had her way she would have given him an X-Box and put him in a corner to 'relieve' his boredom. OK, just give him a mindless game to relieve his mindlessness? To lack interest is to relinquish ones right or claim. So to be bored is to relinquish rights to the mind and bore it into a hole, or bury it. To me, it is another word for dead. If you are bored, your mind is dead. Dead to the possibilities that are within itself, dead to the life all around it, dead to progress and everything it represents. Mind-numbing 'gaming' is simply boredom on life support. The mind is in a coma, but the movement in the game makes it think it is still alive.
The greatest joys I have known in my life have come though the creativity of my mind. To relinquish the right to that through boredom or any other means is a crime against humanity; my own humanity. The mind is bursting with endless possibilities which are largely undiscovered and untapped. If I owned a time machine I wouldn't use it for a garbage disposal. I own a brain. I'm not going to waste it being bored.
To define the word I go to Webster's New World Dictionary. The word 'bore' comes from the root word 'bor' meaning augur. The first meaning of the word is to drill a hole. The alternate meaning is a tiresome, dull person or thing. 'Boredom' is the condition of being bored or uninterested; ennui. 'Ennui' means weariness resulting from inactivity or lack of interest. So we have a picture here of a downward spiral drilling a hole and going nowhere, as well as a shameful lack of interest. Interest, by the way, means to have a right or claim in something.
To define words is to know them. To know them and hence understand them is to gain the power to use them. Thus, in defining boredom I gain power to combat it. When I was a child I had an instinctive revulsion for the word. I respected my own intellect far too much to ever accuse it of being bored. When I lacked the means at my disposal to interest me, my own mind would supply the deficiency. In other words, I would think.
The mind is capable of tremendous feats of imagination, skill, memory, creativity, deduction and discovery. Why, I thought to myself, should I wallow in boredom when I own one of the most amazing machines in the universe, namely, my own mind? Every book that was ever written was imagined first in someone's mind. Every scientific discovery, every invention, every work of art, every piece of music, every great accomplishment in this or any other world was accomplished first in someone's mind. To be bored is to take this most amazing gift and drill it into a hole. To demand that it be 'entertained' is to insult the native intelligence of the human mind. To me it is like putting Einstein in a cage and giving him a rattle to play with. The mind does not want entertainment, it wants something to do!
That is not to say that there is no place for entertainment. There must be some diversion in life. But when the mind lacks diversion it should never bore itself into a hole and become disinterested. Depression is like that. Creativity and/or mental exertion is the antidote for it. To create or think is to spiral upward, to become interested and to try.
Once I heard a mother say to her friend as they both watched her son fidget in the line in which they were waiting: “He's so bored.” If she had had her way she would have given him an X-Box and put him in a corner to 'relieve' his boredom. OK, just give him a mindless game to relieve his mindlessness? To lack interest is to relinquish ones right or claim. So to be bored is to relinquish rights to the mind and bore it into a hole, or bury it. To me, it is another word for dead. If you are bored, your mind is dead. Dead to the possibilities that are within itself, dead to the life all around it, dead to progress and everything it represents. Mind-numbing 'gaming' is simply boredom on life support. The mind is in a coma, but the movement in the game makes it think it is still alive.
The greatest joys I have known in my life have come though the creativity of my mind. To relinquish the right to that through boredom or any other means is a crime against humanity; my own humanity. The mind is bursting with endless possibilities which are largely undiscovered and untapped. If I owned a time machine I wouldn't use it for a garbage disposal. I own a brain. I'm not going to waste it being bored.
Nurture the Rising Generation
Given as a talk in Church October, 2009
To Nurture is to nourish. To nourish is to feed or sustain with substances necessary to life and growth. Nurturing also includes teaching, or spiritual and mental nourishment. So, by the same token, the spiritual, mental nourishment ought to be those spiritual substances necessary to spiritual and mental life and growth. I begin my talk with a definition of this word so that the meaning may be clear as I talk about some of the ways in which we might nurture or nourish the rising generation. I would like to share a couple of stories with you to illustrate this principle.
When I was a child, my mother took me aside every week into a room by ourselves and gave me a primary lesson. We were too far from the church to attend primary during the week, so mother was authorized to teach all of us at home. We would sit opposite each other either in my bedroom or mother's sewing room, learning the lesson from the manual. We would sing an opening song, say a prayer, discuss the lesson, do the activities, have a closing song, and prayer. I never attended primary with a class. But I felt very much a part of primary and the church because of what I was taught in those weekly lessons with my mother.
During the same time in my life, my mother, who was a relatively new convert, learned about the prophet's council to store and eat wheat. She began from that time forth to make her own bread after grinding her own wheat which she had stored. Every week she would bake dozens of rolls, or buns, as we called them, and put them in the freezer for the coming week. Every day after school, we would take out a bag of the buns an have our after school snack. On our long trips to church every week, mother would always bring a bag of buns with us so that on the way home we could have something to eat after church. Wherever we went a bag of buns went also.
When I was in college, I spent a summer with a family whom I had known since I was a child. I worked two jobs and spent very little time with the family but when I was home, sometimes I would take out my guitar and sing a few of my favorite songs to their three younger children. I suppose if I added up all the time I spent singing and playing with them it might be about four hours. But we had fun and I still remember their eager faces shining up at me and asking me to play “just one more”.
When mother took me aside to teach me the gospel, she was nurturing my mind, and my spirit. She was giving me a foundation upon which to build my faith. I can mark the beginning of my testimony from those days I spent at mother's knee learning the gospel, learning the primary songs and hymns, praying and talking with mother. I learned that I was a child of God. I believed my mother when she testified that Jesus lives and would return again. I can still feel the warmth of the spirit testifying to me that her words were true. I learned that mother loved me enough to take time out of her busy life to teach me, just me. Not a group, not a class, not in general, but me. It contributed greatly to my stability as a human being, and my confidence in accomplishing goals later on in my life. She taught me that nothing was more important than learning the gospel, so, nothing was more important to her as a mother than teaching it to me. It was a first priority, not second, third or last.
When mother spent her whole Saturday, every week, baking bread for us children, I learned that nourishing food takes time, effort and love. I learned also that good, nourishing food also brings peace of mind, contentment and a measure of health which cannot be purchased. I learned that good food, lovingly prepared lasts longer than the meal itself, it can last a lifetime in the memory of the children for whom you prepare it. My mother's diligent example also gave me a foundation upon which to build my own home. Relying upon the things my mother taught me has been a great blessing to me in my life and the lives of my children. The physical nourishment that was given to my by my mother, is now being passed on, by tradition, to my own children.
When I spent a few hours singing and talking to those little children in a little town in Utah, I didn't realize that I was also laying a foundation for the future. I learned that a few years after I left to go back to school, one of the children who had listened to me play and sing had remembered nearly every song, word for word. He played them back for me at the wedding of his sister and told me that he intended to become a professional musician because of what I had taught him.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “Reserved by the Lord for this time, (the rising generation) must now be preserved and prepared for their special moment in human history! They have been held back to come forth at this time, but now they need to be pushed forward to meet their rendezvous...”. Who will do this job of preserving, preparing and pushing forward? Whose job is it?
The Proclamation to the World states: “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations. “
Also from the Proclamation: “ By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.
President Hinckley said: “Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in these His little ones...”.
Clearly parents have a divine mandate to love, nurture, feed, teach, shelter, guide, protect and strengthen their children. Nothing could be more plain.
Sister Barbara Thompson of the Relief Society general presidency as said: “As Relief Society sisters we can help one another to strengthen families. We are given opportunities to serve in many capacities. We constantly come in contact with children and youth who may need just what we can offer. You older sisters have much good advice and experience to share with younger mothers.”
We each are responsible for the solidarity of our own family. Strong families make a strong church, community and nation. Nurturing our own and other children is a big part of what the Lord expects of us as His people. The consequences for disobedience, apathy or neglect where this is concerned are very serious.
The Proclamation states: “We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
I once heard a nutrition expert describe living on a diet of processed modern food as “Starving to death on a full stomach”. Lack of proper nourishment in our food supply is a serious problem. Even more serious is the lack of spiritual nourishment in our spiritual food supply. The media is a constant supply of food for the hungry, but it is very often completely lacking in spiritual nourishment, and can even be dangerous or addicting. The Lord has given his people a plan for their physical and spiritual nourishment. If followed, we are given great promises in return. Can we afford to ignore this council? Can we allow the world to feed us both spiritually and physically. Let it not be said of us, as Latter-Day Saints that we are starving to death on a full stomach, but let us nurture one another as it says in Moro. 6: 4
4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and acleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the bchurch of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.
Once there was a woman who had a lovely plant which she admire very much. She prized it above all the other plants in her house because it was given to her by her grandmother who had passed away only a few weeks before. The woman took great care of the plant, talking to it, giving it the right amount of sunlight, just enough water, and proper amounts of fertilizer for optimal growth and development. But, the woman had a neighbor who was jealous of her beautiful plant that seemed to grow without effort. So, the neighbor devised a plan by which she could obtain the beautiful plant and be able to show her friends how smart she was to be able to grow such lovely greenery. The neighbor began immediately to implement her devious plan when she happened to see the woman pruning her shrubs in the yard. She began to lie and say that she was an expert in house plants and that she knew more about one particular house plant than any other. She lied that she had secrets known only to her that would allow the plant to grow to knew and wonderful heights, with extra specially beautiful and lasting flowers. The neighbor didn't have long to wait, for the woman, after a few days of these lies was fully convinced of her own inadequacy to care for the plant. She handed the plant over to her neighbor without so much as a name tag for the plant. The neighbor, who was thrilled at her triumph, soon began to invite all the neighbors to see what a beautiful plant she had in her home. She bragged of her expertise and gained many compliments on her ill-gotten plant. But, within a few days of neglect, for the neighbor knew nothing of the plant and it's care, the plant began to wither and die. Too ashamed to confess her deceit to her friend, the neighbor lied again to the woman when she asked about the plant and she told her that it had been stolen. So the woman lost her precious heir-loom plant because she trusted someone else to nurture it for her when she herself was best suited for it's care.
God, our Father has given us the proper nourishment for our spirits. Ours is the responsibility to partake of it, even feast upon it.
2 Nephi 31:20 ”Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”
Then, after we have partaken of this nourishment we must bring forth fruit, even the fruit of righteousness. That is what we are expected to do, and that is why we nurture our children.
Jacob 6: 7
7 For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be bhewn down and cast into the fire?
Therefore, as Mormon said in Moroni 9:6 “let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.”
To Nurture is to nourish. To nourish is to feed or sustain with substances necessary to life and growth. Nurturing also includes teaching, or spiritual and mental nourishment. So, by the same token, the spiritual, mental nourishment ought to be those spiritual substances necessary to spiritual and mental life and growth. I begin my talk with a definition of this word so that the meaning may be clear as I talk about some of the ways in which we might nurture or nourish the rising generation. I would like to share a couple of stories with you to illustrate this principle.
When I was a child, my mother took me aside every week into a room by ourselves and gave me a primary lesson. We were too far from the church to attend primary during the week, so mother was authorized to teach all of us at home. We would sit opposite each other either in my bedroom or mother's sewing room, learning the lesson from the manual. We would sing an opening song, say a prayer, discuss the lesson, do the activities, have a closing song, and prayer. I never attended primary with a class. But I felt very much a part of primary and the church because of what I was taught in those weekly lessons with my mother.
During the same time in my life, my mother, who was a relatively new convert, learned about the prophet's council to store and eat wheat. She began from that time forth to make her own bread after grinding her own wheat which she had stored. Every week she would bake dozens of rolls, or buns, as we called them, and put them in the freezer for the coming week. Every day after school, we would take out a bag of the buns an have our after school snack. On our long trips to church every week, mother would always bring a bag of buns with us so that on the way home we could have something to eat after church. Wherever we went a bag of buns went also.
When I was in college, I spent a summer with a family whom I had known since I was a child. I worked two jobs and spent very little time with the family but when I was home, sometimes I would take out my guitar and sing a few of my favorite songs to their three younger children. I suppose if I added up all the time I spent singing and playing with them it might be about four hours. But we had fun and I still remember their eager faces shining up at me and asking me to play “just one more”.
When mother took me aside to teach me the gospel, she was nurturing my mind, and my spirit. She was giving me a foundation upon which to build my faith. I can mark the beginning of my testimony from those days I spent at mother's knee learning the gospel, learning the primary songs and hymns, praying and talking with mother. I learned that I was a child of God. I believed my mother when she testified that Jesus lives and would return again. I can still feel the warmth of the spirit testifying to me that her words were true. I learned that mother loved me enough to take time out of her busy life to teach me, just me. Not a group, not a class, not in general, but me. It contributed greatly to my stability as a human being, and my confidence in accomplishing goals later on in my life. She taught me that nothing was more important than learning the gospel, so, nothing was more important to her as a mother than teaching it to me. It was a first priority, not second, third or last.
When mother spent her whole Saturday, every week, baking bread for us children, I learned that nourishing food takes time, effort and love. I learned also that good, nourishing food also brings peace of mind, contentment and a measure of health which cannot be purchased. I learned that good food, lovingly prepared lasts longer than the meal itself, it can last a lifetime in the memory of the children for whom you prepare it. My mother's diligent example also gave me a foundation upon which to build my own home. Relying upon the things my mother taught me has been a great blessing to me in my life and the lives of my children. The physical nourishment that was given to my by my mother, is now being passed on, by tradition, to my own children.
When I spent a few hours singing and talking to those little children in a little town in Utah, I didn't realize that I was also laying a foundation for the future. I learned that a few years after I left to go back to school, one of the children who had listened to me play and sing had remembered nearly every song, word for word. He played them back for me at the wedding of his sister and told me that he intended to become a professional musician because of what I had taught him.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “Reserved by the Lord for this time, (the rising generation) must now be preserved and prepared for their special moment in human history! They have been held back to come forth at this time, but now they need to be pushed forward to meet their rendezvous...”. Who will do this job of preserving, preparing and pushing forward? Whose job is it?
The Proclamation to the World states: “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations. “
Also from the Proclamation: “ By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.
President Hinckley said: “Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in these His little ones...”.
Clearly parents have a divine mandate to love, nurture, feed, teach, shelter, guide, protect and strengthen their children. Nothing could be more plain.
Sister Barbara Thompson of the Relief Society general presidency as said: “As Relief Society sisters we can help one another to strengthen families. We are given opportunities to serve in many capacities. We constantly come in contact with children and youth who may need just what we can offer. You older sisters have much good advice and experience to share with younger mothers.”
We each are responsible for the solidarity of our own family. Strong families make a strong church, community and nation. Nurturing our own and other children is a big part of what the Lord expects of us as His people. The consequences for disobedience, apathy or neglect where this is concerned are very serious.
The Proclamation states: “We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
I once heard a nutrition expert describe living on a diet of processed modern food as “Starving to death on a full stomach”. Lack of proper nourishment in our food supply is a serious problem. Even more serious is the lack of spiritual nourishment in our spiritual food supply. The media is a constant supply of food for the hungry, but it is very often completely lacking in spiritual nourishment, and can even be dangerous or addicting. The Lord has given his people a plan for their physical and spiritual nourishment. If followed, we are given great promises in return. Can we afford to ignore this council? Can we allow the world to feed us both spiritually and physically. Let it not be said of us, as Latter-Day Saints that we are starving to death on a full stomach, but let us nurture one another as it says in Moro. 6: 4
4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and acleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the bchurch of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.
Once there was a woman who had a lovely plant which she admire very much. She prized it above all the other plants in her house because it was given to her by her grandmother who had passed away only a few weeks before. The woman took great care of the plant, talking to it, giving it the right amount of sunlight, just enough water, and proper amounts of fertilizer for optimal growth and development. But, the woman had a neighbor who was jealous of her beautiful plant that seemed to grow without effort. So, the neighbor devised a plan by which she could obtain the beautiful plant and be able to show her friends how smart she was to be able to grow such lovely greenery. The neighbor began immediately to implement her devious plan when she happened to see the woman pruning her shrubs in the yard. She began to lie and say that she was an expert in house plants and that she knew more about one particular house plant than any other. She lied that she had secrets known only to her that would allow the plant to grow to knew and wonderful heights, with extra specially beautiful and lasting flowers. The neighbor didn't have long to wait, for the woman, after a few days of these lies was fully convinced of her own inadequacy to care for the plant. She handed the plant over to her neighbor without so much as a name tag for the plant. The neighbor, who was thrilled at her triumph, soon began to invite all the neighbors to see what a beautiful plant she had in her home. She bragged of her expertise and gained many compliments on her ill-gotten plant. But, within a few days of neglect, for the neighbor knew nothing of the plant and it's care, the plant began to wither and die. Too ashamed to confess her deceit to her friend, the neighbor lied again to the woman when she asked about the plant and she told her that it had been stolen. So the woman lost her precious heir-loom plant because she trusted someone else to nurture it for her when she herself was best suited for it's care.
God, our Father has given us the proper nourishment for our spirits. Ours is the responsibility to partake of it, even feast upon it.
2 Nephi 31:20 ”Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”
Then, after we have partaken of this nourishment we must bring forth fruit, even the fruit of righteousness. That is what we are expected to do, and that is why we nurture our children.
Jacob 6: 7
7 For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be bhewn down and cast into the fire?
Therefore, as Mormon said in Moroni 9:6 “let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.”
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