~ Robert Fulghum, Author
For the last several weeks, I have been reflecting on the common good.
Common good being what is best for all of us – not just me, but in the bigger picture how we live as a community, as a country, collectively. In other words, it’s about all of us. The purpose of laws is not to penalize us, it is to protect us. For example, a red light means stop! When we respect and abide by the laws developed for the common good, order prevails, assuming the laws enacted are just (that’s another topic).
Next month we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country. In July, I hope to share some of “The Rules of Civility” which President George Washington strived to live by. Below is a prequel, if you will.
I thought we could work our way towards Washington’s “The Rules of Civility” by reviewing Robert Fulghum’s book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.
“Most of what I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday school. These are the things I learned:
1. Share everything.
2. Play fair.
3. Don’t hit people.
4. Put things back where you found them.
5. Clean up your own mess.
6. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
7. Say sorry when you hurt somebody.
8. Wash your hands before you eat.
9. Flush.
10. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. [Give them to someone who feels sad.]
11. Live a balanced life – learn some and [think] some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.
12. Take a nap every afternoon.
13. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup? The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.”
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
Think of what a better world it would be if we all – the whole world – had cookies and milk at about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true. No matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.
And on Father’s Day, a special thank you to our Dads, Granddads, Uncles, Big Brothers, Coaches, Band Leaders, and all who taught us how to be a team. And to kindergarten teachers everywhere for starting us out on the right path. Thank you, Miss Flora!
Happy Summer.
Bridget
The Annunciation Blog 