Beyond A-B-C

Photo byElement5 DigitalonUnsplash

Education, life-long learning, is vital. Those lacking in education can more easily be swayed by false teachings and arguments. Follow one’s heart when choosing what to learn. With each of us choosing to focus our mind, our talents, on differing areas, collectively we can share what we have learned, both the skills and knowledge, to help one another. The ability to communicate is important – those who cannot read or write are handicapped in our world. Education is invaluable, but first teach a child to love and to help his/her fellow man, other creatures, mother earth, and all our relations.

Before the written word, man had an oral tradition. A benefit of the oral tradition is that memory is exercised and verbal communication practiced. While a benefit of the written tradition is the consistency of the message and in the spreading of information.

Currently, we educate our young in reading, writing, math, history/social sciences, and science. Reading and writing are lessons in learning to communicate. History and social science teach the young their traditions and place within society. Science is the study of the natural world, while math is a method of mentally or numerically tracking, but it also teaches a way of thinking and problem solving. All of these educational tools were utilized by early man as well: communication, tradition, study of the natural world, and problem solving.

Our secondary education guides our youth to a career and teaches them the facets required to pursue a chosen path. It can also be learning focused like the study of philosophy that teaches one to think and question.

Learning expands spirit, but learning can also be taught by spirit. We do not need classrooms. Educating of children in groups teaches social skills and interacting with others. Children’s games mimic adult life skills, just as kittens pounce on each other in play learn how to pounce on a mouse when their belly rumbles and the body requires nourishment. To better understand a civilization, observe its children at play.

However, It is not natural for children to be forced to sit for hours. Often I see our current education system as a way we derived to add worker bees to our corporate world. It is good in that it gives educational opportunity to all – there is no reason for illiteracy. Yet, because all are required to receive an education, those learners do not always understand its importance or appreciate its value. Plus, unfortunately, not all education is equivalent.

Knowledge is very important, but wisdom is even greater. It is best in the pursuit of knowledge to have one’s priority to be an open mind and heart to the Eternal. Follow your heart’s calling, but follow God first and then the world will open to you. Education must be an equal opportunity for all while on this earthly plane.

It is good to excel at a vocation or hobby. It is good to use one’s talents and to create, build, dream, use one’s body to explore the world, love – do all in one’s power. However, make serving God and all one’s relations the priority. (All one’s relations equates to all who dwell on this physical plane, whether they be human, animal, bird, insect, fish, plant, mineral, rock, and so on.)

What is needed is for every child to be raised in a loving, nurturing environment and educated first about the primary virtues of life; loving God and neighbor to expand mind, heart, body and soul. Raised attuned to the natural world or at least with respect for it; then our children may make choices based on what is best for all our relations.

Man has free will and thus can choose to create a loving, nurturing, supporting environment for his and her family or not. One can choose to educate their young, and the young can choose to pursue education or not. Therefore, it would be ideal if a world-environment were created that encouraged this concept. Where people served and supported these two values above worldly values such as earning money beyond what is needed to live; a world where all work to achieve this end, creating loving and nurturing environments for children. Where children would be raised saturated with Love.

Even when one is raised in a loving and nurturing home and taught to love God and to serve one’s neighbor in Love, can this child choose the pleasures of the world over the joys of the Eternal? Yes, but not as likely.

Love-drenched education reduces crime and abuse – of humans, animals, and the earth – our home.

When a child or an adult commits a crime and harms another, they may then be taught why it was wrong and how it can be corrected. They are taught what to do differently and to practice this until it becomes a “muscle” memory. They learn why this different path is better for all and then are expected to make reparations. They are given opportunities to serve in a structured environment in proportion to the error with a situation that complements their error.

If we merely punish, we teach them to do it better and sneakier the next time, but we don’t teach them a better way to live.

Teach love. Be love. That is the answer to heal our planet. Begin with the children.