Saturday, November 23, 2013

When

When I was a child, learning was as easy as forgetting is now. Observation from all our senses filled our minds as if they were damp sponges. The sponge is much dryer now and wringing something useful from it more difficult. So many of the basic themes of life have changed. When, how and why? 

By the time that my Father actually got to see me for the first time, my Mother had already taken me to see my Grandparents in  Boston...over a thousand miles distant. Respect for your elders meant something entirely different then. My parents packed us up and carted us to visit all the cousins, aunts, uncles etc. Not them coming to visit the new folks. Tradition is something made up on the fly...wrong! Tradition is built up over a course of time. 


Courtesy? Politeness? Decency? All seem to be hidden away, not to be spoken about. To use common sense, to compromise in the name of logical need...gone! As if they had become curse words. Cursing, on the other hand totally common. The ignorant rule. And they are unaware. 


I think of myself as an organized individual. With that word I have to add logical. Without logic what point being organized? Ironically I pretty much detest organizations. Whether it be sports, politics, religion, play, whatever, I do not want someone else telling me their purported version of truth and how I must live. And, most assuredly I won't contribute to any such group. It isn't logical. Play dates, quality time...bull! How can you confront a teacher when you haven't a clue about your child? Next time let the baby-sitter go to the conference. That would be more logical. The sitter has most likely spent more real time with the child. There is a reality out there that takes up space just like the 500 gorilla. In order to learn about the world you must partake. Not pick and choose, because sooner or later little Johnny is going to be faced with someone not so nice. He won't learn about that encounter from a "gameboy", or some organized playdate.

...or, perhaps there is some new reality that I am unaware of, where logic and all those other old words aren't necessary!

Perhaps Dave Mason nailed it when he sang, "there ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy. There's just you and me..and we just disagree!"



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