Then this same child, now grown up, though always my baby to me, sends me pieces from Facebook and elsewhere that she thinks I would enjoy and appreciate. One of those pieces that came today was from PBS NewsHour - Brief But Spectacular series - bit.ly/briefbutspectacular - On Getting Old - with Flossie Lewis being interviewed or rather giving forth her own little monologue. Cut and paste this address and find Flossie and laugh and admire. And she was a teacher of English!!! Yea for we teachers of English, for we have taught the world the power of language.
So, getting back to Dr. Seuss. One of my favorite topics to teach was about metaphors, extended metaphors and allegories and used The Butter Battle Book within that unit. Reading it aloud to the kids - yes, my eighth graders who sat there open mouthed and eager to see the pictures - led to a discussion of its contents and the lessons learned from the book. But then again, they were not surprised for they had already learned that lessons for life were to be found everywhere, from Dr. Seuss to Shakespeare to Chaucer to modern day writers to poets and even to modern media.
So, what is the point. Simply to illustrate why I think that language plays a great role in getting old and in dealing with its issues, with relating to people and with the knowledge that we are always learning and had better be doing so, for to not do that, is to shut down and truly get old. So, I present a few of my favorite Dr. Seussisms for your edification and delight and for my enjoyment as well. Hope you enjoy them and can find room to apply them to your way of life and thinking.
From Happy Birthday to You - "Today you are you. That is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than you." How many times have we been told that we must be ourselves, we must be true to ourselves and if we are not, well, we all know the consequences of that. That statement often gives me the courage to go on, even in the face of obstacles, of nastiness, for if there is to be a me, then it must be the true me. I know no other way. And it should be a true statement for all of us as well. Even Shakespeare agrees when one of his characters states, "To thine own self be true."
To continue the thought - why must we adhere to that state of being true to ourselves? Well, here comes wisdom from The Lorax. "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it's not." So, at times it is easier to give up, to say the hell with it, to give in to the tiredness, but NO, we must not and I say this to a friend of mind who is tired - do not give up. Take a break if you must, but continue to lend your strength to others, continue to be an inspiring example for them, lead them forward and be "truer than true" to yourself and to us as well.
Is this an easy precept to follow? No, definitely not, but then again, no one ever said life was meant to be easy and do not think to look at others and wonder why for believe me, if there is one benefit to getting old, besides grandchildren that is - it is learning that everyone has a package and better yours than the ones they have. So, from "Oh, the Places You'll Go" here are more words of wisdom. "Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's a great balancing act." That is so true and when we get out of balance we must realign ourselves, put things into perspective, think and prioritize and get back the true balance in our lives. Not easy, but it can be done.
This is both serious and sheer whimsy, but think again of some of the great writers you have come across, old and new. Think of the pleasure their words have given you, have inspired you, have made you laugh and cry, have made you think. Think of the power of words and how they can convey emotion, deep emotion. And then wonder why it is that some people are selectively and willingly deaf to the power and the truth of these words and the truth they present and advocate for.
Terror victim Natan Meir wrote a letter to Ban Ki Moon re his recent appearance and plea to the UN and its General Assembly. He lost his wife, the mother of six beautiful children, who died defending them, and spoke of his grief and his wishes for peace, for harmony with his neighbors, how even his Palestinians neighbors came to him to comfort him. Yet the UN seems to have turned a cold and hateful cheek to him They sympathized with the Palestinian ambassador who described the killer as an innocent child forced into Israeli prison. He pleads "Does the United Nations strive to be relevant when there is not a drop of the most basic humanity?," questioned Meir in his letter. He continues on and ends his letter with "If you would like to help, please help us to build bridges and connections between people, rather than borders and fences," he concluded.
The only way to do that is to use words, to hear the words of others, to feel the words of others.
and to use words to communicate. It is hard, sometimes seemingly impossible at times, but the results are well worth the time and the use of words. Hear the words of "The Green Prince", the son of the Hamas leader who turned on the horrific politics of his father, wrote a book about it and speaks all over the world on behalf of the country of Israel and against the terror of Hamas, but people need to HEAR and LISTEN. We need to hear in Africa, in Asia, in the United States, all over the world for if we do not do that, then the power of weapons will be the power that is used and words will fade.
Natan Meir spoke of building bridges as I did in the prior posting. I continue to speak of them, no matter the context and we must remember, as we read in Green Eggs and Ham - "Everything stinks till it's finished." Never a more true statement than that. We must not give up, be it here in the Village or in the state or country or world. We are all that we got, so let us use our words and let us make progress. Perhaps we all ought to read Dr. Seuss a bit more often. Children's tales are not truly meant for kids. Just pick up a book of fairy tales, ones that have not been cleaned up so the kiddies will not hear of bad things and see the truth of the world these tales came from. Better we hear the words of others than return to a world that made these "fairy tales" possible and a picture of a truth that we can all live without.
Indeed, let us all get older together and teach these young whippersnappers what life is all about. Give them the benefit of our collective wisdom. Getting old can be positive. Now.... where did I put that cane?
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