BACK TO SCHOOL

"The human mind is like an umbrella.  It functions best when it is open."  Max Gropius

I stumbled upon this little quote today and it resonated inside me like a chinese gong.  Lately, I have been complaining about the fact that the world seems to have become just plain mean.  I don't know when we stopped having good manners...listening to each other with respect, even though we had different opinions.  There is this blanket of nastiness that covers our country - and the sad thing is that we have lost the ability to learn from one another.  No one is listening anymore.  It seems we hide out in a safe place...with a safe group of people who think exactly like we do so that we can feel like we are right and everyone else is wrong.

Cowardly, actually.  And - arrogant.  I am weary of hearing arguments.  No one is convincing anyone to change their minds.  If you listen to one TV station - you get the "Progressive" arguments.  If you change the channel - you get the "Conservative" arguments.  And there is always plenty of time on both channels devoted to putting each other down...to pointing fingers, blaming and even name-calling.  Sounds like a bad day on the kindergarten playground.

It isn't just politics...it is religion, and race...it's anything that can be made controversial.  I wish we could return to that place of common ground.  That place where it wasn't necessary to point out what makes us different because we would be too busy noticing all the things that make us the same.

I think maintaining an open mind is a barometer for intelligence and compassion.  And it is certainly necessary for creative imaginings.  In kindergarten we were taught not to be mean, and we were also encouraged to share and learn from others.  And we sat side by side while we colored and had lunch and rolled out our rest mats.  We were taught to be gentlemen and ladies and tea parties were kind affairs where everyone was invited.  Such simple concepts that, if practiced, would make a big difference in our country today.

I remember reading a book a few years ago entitled, All I Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum.  At the time I thought it was cute...a little like something out of Reader's Digest.  Now I think it should be required reading for all adults.  We need a reminder of the days when the world was a nicer place.  And when functioning with an open mind was considered normal and decent behavior.