School

Teachers may try to shock you by telling you that you will not amount to anything to try and change your behavior.  If only they would try to respect you as a person, you will flourish and take responsibility for yourself automatically.  Don’t wait for your teacher to respect you, respect them for what they are trying to teach you.  Next year you will go on to a next level, and they will stay behind.  But if you do not learn from them the first time, there will be a second time, and a third…  Don’t waist your time because you don’t like the teacher, learn and move to the next level.  If you don’t you will end up spending more and more time with the teacher you don’t like!

The tree of all knowledge - Anakin

When you hear the story about Adam and Even in the garden of Eden, the first thing you think of is who is to blame for eating those apples! That is where it all began, or so we’re told.  We either blame Eve for her curiosity: she did what she was told not to do (sounds like a true woman to me!) Then there was Adam, who followed Eve blindly without considering the consequences (a man is not a stone you know). 

But my interest does not lie with Adam and Eve, or by trying to find who is to blame.  My interest lies with the tree.  I always wondered why it was called the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”.  Why did God say they would surely die if they would eat or even touch this tree?  Isn’t knowledge good?  Isn’t it good to know what is good and what is evil?  Surely it will allow us to make wiser choices in future, and it will give us better perspective?

Think for a minute what has this ‘knowledge’ done to us.  People are judging each other for being either good or evil.  We judge each other's actions, feelings and even thoughts.  We do not like people who are different from us.  We do not accept one another for who we are, because we have this wonderful tool of judgment according to our own ‘knowledge’ and ‘wisdom’.  We judge ourselves according to others accomplishments, and the verdict is either failure, or success.

Judging people can be tiring sometimes.  It’s a great responsibility you place on yourself.  Just when you ‘labeled’ or judged someone as bad, they turn around and surprise you with a heavenly action, and vice versa!  For example:  It is confusing when someone that steps out of a prison risks his own life to save a child from being run over by a car.  Or, the Minister that watched you grow up and was supposed to care the most of all people, turn his back when you really needed help.  When things like this happens, you will find yourself on a yo-yo.  “Now he's good… now he's bad… now she's good… now she's bad…”.  It will go on forever if you do not stop judging.  People can never be what you want them to be.  Someone is either your friend through thick and thin, not only when they do as you would like them to do.

Think what it would be like if we did not know this tree of knowledge existed at all! What do you think the world would be like if you couldn’t judge?  Forget for a moment about crime and cruelty.  I’m talking about simple human judging.  Judging others on their looks, the way they react, the way they live, or even their past.  If you could for one moment imagine life without the judgment you place on others and on yourself, you will imagine a life without crime and cruelty.  If we could really look at people with open eyes, looking for that other fellow human being, you would see no one as your enemy anymore.  Only confused souls looking for a place of belonging.

Gossip is one of the most frequently outlets of mankind to judge people according to our preferences.  Next time you want to say something bad about someone, ask yourself what will you get from this action.  Does it pleases you to run others down to make you look important? All people are equal, whether you like it or not.  To judge each other on our differences, is to tell God we do not like His creativity.  Every human being is special, and so much care has been taken to create them.  Do not destroy God’s work.  Treat every person as if they already live out their full potential, and you will help to make them the best person they can be.

Kindergarden to College

Ask a kindergarden class, “How many of you can draw?” and all hands shoot up.   Yes, of course we can draw - all of us.  What can you draw? Anything! How about a dog eating a fire truck in the jungle? Sure! How big you want it?

How many of you can sing?  All hands.  Of course we sing!  What can you sing?  Anything!  What if you don’t know the words?  No problem, we make them up.  Let’s sing!  Now?  Why not!

How many of you dance?  Unanimous again.  What kind of music do you like to dance to?  Any kind!  Let’s dance!  Now?  Sure, why not?

Do you like to act in plays?  Yes!  Do you play musical instruments? Yes! Do you write poetry?  Yes!  Can you read and write and count?  Yes! We’re learning that stuff now.

Their answer is Yes!  Over and over again, Yes!  The children are confident in spirit, infinite in resources, and eager to learn.  Everything is still possible. 

Try those same questions on a college audience.  A small percentage of the students will raise their hands when asked if they draw or dance or sing or paint or act or play an instruments.  Not infrequently, those who do raise their hands will want to qualify their response with their limitations:  “I only play piano, I only draw horses, I only dance to rock and roll, I only sing in the shower.”

When asked why the limitations, college students answer they do not have talent, are not majoring in the subject, or have not done any of these things since about third grade, or worse, that they are embarrassed for others to see them sing or dance or act.  You can imagine the response to the same questions asked of an older audience.  The answer”  No, none of the above.

What went wrong between kindergarden and college?  What happened to YES! Of course I can? 

Taken from the book “Uh-oh” by Robert Fulghum