When I was a kid, honesty reigned supreme. It held the final say in nearly all of life's circumstances. When I was a kid, integrity meant telling the truth even during times of struggle. It meant coming clean when pleading the fifth was more convenient. When I was kid, trust was greater than love. "You have my word" was as good as a stiff handshake and steady eye contact. When I was a kid ...
I remember the day I became a man. The world has a way of teaching that never lets me forget. I was completing a math assignment in Mrs. Burton's class. We had been working on some principles new to me, and I wanted to master them. Then, Mrs. Burton returned our assignments from a few days prior. A friend of mine received a "C" on his graph assignment and came to me for consolation. "I'll never become a doctor with grades like this," he said. I tried to comfort him, but I felt something strange. I kept a stern look on my face, but my belly warmed, my pulse quickened, and my body smiled. "It's OK," I said to my friend as I placed my hand on his shoulder and turned my eyes away from his, "You're gonna be just fine." I glanced at my graph assignment as I continued to speak to him, and the "A+" stared back at me bold and red. I felt happy.
That day in Mrs. Burton's third grade class is the first time I can remember feeling good about another man's disappointment. It was the day I became a man like all the men in our world, selfish and artificial. It was the day I began to fight my natural man.
Today, right now, I am unemployed. I apply to several jobs every day. Many people reply to my applications and promise interviews, emails, phone calls, and follow-ups. Rarely do they hold to their word.
Q: What has happened since the early 90s when I was a kid in the third grade? A: Economics, inflation has caused man to depreciate.
If there were only more children in this world and fewer men.
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