Too young to get it

[The Straight Story]

8 years old. No idea what torture means. No idea why two people who love each other can't be married.

No idea of what is going on in this world, beyond her favorite cartoons and Hannah Montana and those Jonas Brothers.

Just a little girl living her life day to day, playing computer games, doing her school work.

No idea why people are so mean to one another.

She lives in a world where fairies exist, people are nice to one another, and money is not something folks are concerned about.

A world where she is mystified as to why people don't help one another out. Why you can't always go to the doctor. She does not get why people would let folks go at a job if they did what they were asked to - like coming to work and doing your best.

And maybe, it is not she who does not get it, maybe it is we adults who don't.

We put people on the moon, we have sent robots to mars. We have created nuclear weapons, the internet, computers, and so on.

And yet we cannot do the things like get rid of poverty, lack of health care, we tell people who they can marry and see in hospitals, we spend a ton of tax dollars on defense while kids go hungry here, and so on.

Somewhere along the line we lost those simple dreams we had as children.

We made them complicated, made up excuses why we can't - all the while doing things some folks never thought possible.

I think she gets it. 8 years old and she has a vision of a place where people love and care about each other, no matter who you are.

Maybe we just got too old to get it. We made it all too complicated. Too intertwined with everything else. When really it is so simple a child can get it.

It is not about your sexual orientation, your past, your mistakes, it is about what we do FOR each other, how we treat one another, that is so important.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. A very lovely, and simple reminder -

The Golden Rule - it works. We teach it to our kids, but then we forget that it applies to us, too.

Thanks, TSS.

K&R.........

[givemebackmycountry]

2. Nice Post - like almost everything that comes from you TSS

And I will so kick it.

8 years old.
Can I even remember back that far?

[Duer 157099]

3. I don't think it's a function of age

There are plenty of 8 year old bullies who are nothing like your 8 year old.

8 year olds who torture animals and enjoy it (and grow up to become President)

[The Straight Story]

4. Those you mention grow up to become repubs

:)

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Personal experience tells me you are correct

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Plenty? No

I have spent 30 years spending my days with 8 year olds. A FEW are bullies, but nowhere near 'plenty'.

[Duer 157099]

6. Yes, I stand corrected

However, it could probably be argued that the proportion remains somewhat static.

I believe that most people are ok, if not good. The "bad apples" are few and far between, but the damage they are capable of extends quite far.

[Mr. Ected]

8. I'm A Lawyer. Sometimes I Act 8 Years Old.

I'm nice to people. I laugh. I make others laugh. I try to make them 8 again too.

To be an adult is to accept your responsibilities.

And one of those responsibilities is to be true to who you are.

And who you were.

[rwheeler31]

9. The young and the old get it.

[daughter of liberty2]

10. Thanks for the post!

"We made it all too complicated. Too intertwined with everything else. When really it is so simple a child can get it" <<<-- Exactly! :applause:

[Wednesdays]

11. K&R

:kick:

[Raejeanowl]

12. Very Nice

And with cautions to those who get their hackles up about such allusions, you know that's what they were talking about biblically when Jesus was quoted regarding followers coming to him "as a child."

Because kids are honest, innocent and clear-eyed.

[lostnfound]

13. A kick for 8 year olds!

I have one too. It's a great age. Actually old enough to understand almost anything in a logical way, if it can be explained step by step; but not yet ruined by the apparent hopelessness (? let alone the acceptance of hopelessness?) of the world.

[Fumesucker]

14. It's not that we cannot do these things...

It's that we will not.

I see a big difference..

Nice post, FWIW.

[timtom]

15. Superb message, Straight Story.

One we need to hear again and again.

And eloquently and passionately stated.

Amen and amen.