Lessons to our children

This little story that came to me via e-mail is a telling account of how modern society affects the attitudes of little children.

Feel yourself inspired into Higher Realms of Consciousness with this section! The tales, poetry and inspirational tit-bits will provide the proverbial "Divine wind in our sails" on our journey through life's choppy seas! Surfers are invited to send in their contributions for this page toveenaminocha@hotmail.com

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This little story that came to me via e-mail is a telling account of how modern society affects the attitudes of little children. Even though upbringing and social conditioning through parenting is important, we can never understate what the huge amounts of exposure to violence, through the media, and through those innocent looking video games, can do to little minds.

Every time a problem is brought before them, they seem to think that violent methods are the only recourse to solving them. There is precious little that parents can do, except to repeatedly tell them, and more importantly, teach by example, that aggression is not part of a peaceful solution.

Aggressive methods only lead to more hatred, and further expression of that hatred, through violence. What surprises me most is that even the sacred spaces and temples have now been turned into profanity. What should be the innocence of a child's mind, in asking for a gift from God, now becomes a threatening situation. They are being led to believe that unless they coerce and force others to do their bidding, nothing will be done.

Are we really setting examples of grabbing what we need, by force, rather than teaching them to achieve through honest effort? Read on…

Little Billy came into the kitchen where his mother was making dinner. His birthday was coming up and he thought this was a good time to tell his mother what he wanted. "Mom, I want a bike for my birthday."

Little Billy was a bit of a troublemaker. He had gotten into trouble at school and at home. Billy's mother asked him if he thought he deserved to get a bike for his birthday. Little Billy, of course, thought he did.

Billy's mother, being a Christian woman, wanted him to reflect on his behaviour over the last year and write a letter to God and tell him why he deserved a bike for his birthday. Little Billy stomped up the steps to his room and sat down to write God a letter.

LETTER 1:
Dear God, I have been a very good boy this year and I would like a bike for my birthday. I want a red one.
Your friend,
Billy

Billy knew this wasn't true. He had not been a very good boy this year, so he tore up the letter and started over.

LETTER 2:
Dear God, This is your friend Billy. I have been a pretty good boy this year, and I would like a red bike for my birthday.
Thank you,
Billy

Billy knew this wasn't true either. He tore up the letter and started again.

LETTER 3:
Dear God, I have been an OK boy this year and I would really like a red bike for my birthday.
Billy

Billy knew he could not send this letter to God either, so he wrote another letter.

LETTER 4:
Dear God, I know I haven't been a good boy this year. I am very sorry. I will be a good boy if you just send me a red bike for my birthday.
Thank you,
Billy

Billy knew, even if it was true, this letter was not going to get him a bike. By now, Billy was very upset. He went downstairs and told his mother he wanted to go to church. Billy's mother thought her plan had worked because Billy looked very sad.

"Just be home in time for dinner," his mother said.

Billy walked down the street to the church and up to the altar. He looked around to see if anyone was there. He picked up a statue of the Virgin Mary. He slipped it under his shirt and ran out of the church, down the street, into his house, and up to his room. He shut the door to his room and sat down with a piece of paper and a pen. Billy began to write his letter to God.

LETTER 5:
I've got your mamma. If you want to see her again, send the bike.
Signed,
You know who

Never underestimate the power of the child to absorb methods of solving problems, as the easiest, whether right or wrong, is always the most appealing to his mind.