KIDS

Parents usually see children as some expression of their own identity, like clothing or wealth. They are often perceived as part of the parents' estate rather than free, individual human beings. Kids matter not because they have any inherant value but for the same reason that gold or BMW's matter...because adults say so. Almost any form of emotional and psychological abuse perpretrated on children by adults has historically been a matter of parental privilige.

Worldwide, no matter how abject the poverty, how cruel the conditions, how subject to social and political prejudice are the races of man, someone small sits even further back in the bus.

For all the money we spend on education, everyone knows its a second class occupation. Teaching is like motherhood. It's a good job for men and women who can't make it in the business world. We wring our hands, get a tear in the corner of our eyes for the plight of these young people, make token gestures, then drive off in our BMW's. After all they can't vote. They can't sue us. They can't even kick our butts in an argument. They are under our thumbs and we like it that way. We consider it natural. It's always been that way. Children should be seen and not heard. From birth, they get the sometimes not too subtle message... "you'll be worth something when you grow up if you do what you're told, but stay out of the way in the meantime."

Then we can't understand why teens are alienated and vast numbers of people grow up dysfunctional in our society. Criminals, drug and alcohol abusers and a large portion of the mentally ill are created. Crime is a result of our failing to give the young the love and support that living things need to flourish and become whole. Criminals are made by the age of six and we're turning them out by the millions. We gripe about it being unsafe on the street, about the drug cartels, about the homeless, about the enormous welfare system, about rising health care costs but the fact is... we trained them. You and me, Mr. and Mrs. America. We taught them with our words and actions. Unlike adults, kids see what we do...not what we say.

The traits that are so natural to our children... honesty, love, passion, unbridled imagination and an ability to live for the moment...are the very things missing in the lives of the world's adults. Society gives lip service but in truth condescends to such "childish" characteristics. We become hardened, dishonest and resigned. We focus our passion on the future or the past, waste our lives on false goals and regrets and find that we live shallow, valueless lives bereft of any true meaning.

We are a insensate nation, ignoring the beauty and the pain. We are awash in pain and suffering but feel nothing. We are surrounded by incredible beauty and yet experience life as dull and shallow. No wonder war, crime and corruption seem inevitable to all of us. We can't truely feel the sorrow of others. We withdraw to protect ourselves, then live in isolation brought on by our fears. We survive.

And all the while the brilliant little teachers are born, connected to a better way of being, giving inspired instruction to any who will listen on the beauty of living, the quality of love, the wonder of the moment.

Sadly, they speak in an almost empty classroom, only a few ne'er do wells, dreamers and fanatics, themselves seen as out of step with the "real" world, even listen.