When I was young, I heard stories about how terrible a Depression is and that many people killed themselves when they lost money in the sharemarket, their lives ruined. I couldn't understand all that, because life still went on for me. The sun still rose and life went on. That is because I had the simplicity of a child's mind. And if we think about it carefully, a child's mind is really what we need to not get ourselves caught up in our own drama.
What if a child had no mortgage or rental to worry about, because the child had no home? The child would live like a vagabond and still find wonder in walking down streets and breathing in the air. Even if one has no home - life does not stop automatically. We are still alive! Yet an adult would feel a terrible sense of degradation.
What if a child had no money to buy things? He just learns that in not having things, we don't stop breathing. The flowers don't change their colour when we pass by just because we don't have shiny, new things. The air does not run away to create a vacuum we suffocate in. The sun does not hide behind a cloud just to cast a shadow over every step we take. An adult loses their pride and self-esteem.
What if a child had no job or school to go to or any status in society? The child, as is a given, learns naturally, with or without a school. The child learns out of necessity. If it was necessary to wear both sides of his shoes to walk down a rocky path, he would be able to count if one side of his shoe was missing. If 2 teaspoons of salt makes his porridge yucky, he would know how to reduce the amount, whether or not he was taught. If hot metal burns his skin, he realizes quickly enough what conducts heat. He listens to stories and opinions of others, and these color and shape his mind in a complex web of stimulus. His street-programming is the same as the programming schoolings offer, the mental learning is similar, only the process is different. The street-cred is a process gained through observation, inquisition, necessity and in freedom, while the academic-cred is a process that is dictated to, compelled to regardless of aptitutde and learned within rigid restrictions. An adult cheats or drive themselves to near insanity in order to obtain an academic certification.
What if a child loses his precious collection of bottle caps and empty bottles and cans which he used to build his castles and construct his armies? He cries for a bit and then resolves to start another collection.
But what of an adult who loses the things he collects? A home with a mortgage, furniture and cars bought on hire-purchase, shares, etc? The adult wallows in self-destruction, blames or plots revenge, contemplates and carries out suicide or murder.
What is it with us adults that we make life so difficult for ourselves?
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