My head covering is pigmentally challenged. I am numerically, aesthetically and calorically challenged. I am gravity challenged. How complicated sounding and psychologically wearing.
More simply put my hair is gray, I've lived more years than I have left, I'm plain-looking, overweight and saggy, and our budget is quite tight. None of which are really big deals.
Our society spends an enormous amount of time coming up with correct terms so as not to offend various individuals ----while there seems to be very little time or effort expended in reminding us of the simple overall need to just be accepting and kind and considerate.
Even teachers have been effectively bound, in many ares, with "rules" which prevent them from teaching personal integrity, morality, and caring. Political correctness and fear of repercussion even prevents teachers physically comforting a sad or ailing child. A hug might be interpreted as inappropriate touching.
In times past, a man's word was his bond and his handshake the finalizing of that bond. Today a handshake is more often just a meaningless formality---merely a complex combination of five-fingered gymnastics, while a man's bond is too often a complicated, many-paged, fine-print document with assumed loopholes.
Life has become unnecessarily challenging in many unnecessary ways!
We need to remember the simple yet profoundly important aspects of life. . .
From the Bible, we have the the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you; treat others as you would like to be treated.
From Robert Fulghum's "All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten": share, say please and thank you.
From an unknown person's Rules of the House: If you drop it, pick it up: if you open it, close it: if you borrow it, return it; if you break it, fix it.
The family is a great place to find acceptance and receive great applause (even when teaching the acceptance and encouraging the applause is necessary). This is how self-esteem is developed.
It's often a cold and dreary world out there, and usually complicated. Home should be the warm and accepting place where family members can return to each day.
It's as simple as that!
Simple Kitchen S'Mores
Spread one graham cracker square with chocolate frosting. Spear one marshmallow on a long-handled fork and carefully toast it over burner of stove top. Gas works best but so does electric. (An option, though not the best, is a short zap in a microwave.)
Place soft and browned marshmallow on frosted cracker and top with additional graham cracker square, squishing it together slightly.
If your child is making this treat, be certain there is adult supervision.
This post originally appeared in the August 2003 Desert Saints Magazine.
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