THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 21, 1996 TAG: 9601180162
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRANT MURRAY
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
As the new year unfolds, it's cold and the wind is blowing. The days are short (but getting longer). Some people have the flu, and some are just blue. I'm suffering from the blue flu myself, a sort of new year funk that gets me annually thinking about the state of mankind.
It's apparent that many people are suffering in many different ways. The poor, with limited or no resources, are the first to feel the cold. The hungry, who live with the constant pain of hunger, are walking a tightrope from one meal to the next. The homeless wander. In war-torn areas of our world, the suffering continues as people kill others, often in the name of God. (Allah or God, which is right?)
There have been 24 civilizations in the history of the world. All have had scourges of famine, disease and war. Yet in all these civilizations, we have never solved the problems that continue to plague mankind.
Why not?
Enough food is grown on the planet for all to eat. Housing can be provided for all. We all know that people should not kill.
Why does it continue? Are we focused on the wrong things? How can we focus on the right things?
Here's how. The focus has to be the children. Let's make the world a good place for children.
If it is not good for the children, let world leaders say no.
If it is not good for the children, let national leaders say no.
If it is not good for the children, let local leaders say no.
IF IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE CHILDREN, EVERYONE SAY NO.
How would this make a difference? Let's see. . .
For the poor, we would help the needy, but we would say no to more babies. Welfare will work if we say you cannot have more babies and continue to receive welfare incentives for having more babies. Ditto for the hungry.
We would have no war at all if the combatants considered the fact that children are the true victims of war. We will not fight because of the children.
Street violence, in my opinion a consequence of the ill-planned welfare system, would certainly diminish if we cared about our children.
My daughter is 6 years old. She started school this year. When I found out who her teacher was, I asked if she was a good teacher. The answer I got was that her teacher was wonderful. And then the person said something that made me think. This person said, ``Her teacher makes every day special.''
Her teacher makes EVERY DAY special.
Her teacher makes EVERY DAY special. Hummmmmm.
Making every day SPECIAL - That's an idea that makes sense.
What if everyone, everywhere decided to make every child's day special? Imagine what the world would be like if the common goal in life was to make every day special for the kids.
Suddenly, life's focus changes. Let's do it for the kids. They can't vote, they can't change things. They suffer the most when things go bad. Let every grownup make decisions based on the effect it has on kids.
In households, absent parents would stay home rather than cruise the streets at night. Parents would conserve money normally spent on themselves and use it to help the kids. Neighborhoods would clean themselves up to help the kids. Cities would be groups of neighborhoods.
The kids are the first to feel the pain and the last to feel the relief.
In two generations, we could change the world. People would learn to love one another through the children. After all, there is no greater unconditional love than that of our children. They are like dogs, because all they have is given to them by grownups. If people want a single focus in life that will guide them in every decision, I offer one.
Let's all make every day special for every child. That's what I call being civilized. MEMO: Brant Murray lives in Nags Head.
by CNB