Just Who Do You Think You Are?

Do you ever feel like a tiny Who in Dr. Seuss’ beloved book, Horton Hears a Who?  Don’t let anyone ever make you think that you’re unimportant. You have infinite worth and value. So, hold your head up, put on a determined grin and move forward with life. Whether you are on the west or east coast or the great middle of America, you matter!

I often think back to the days when I taught Kindergarten children. We had a unit called, “All About Me.” We talked about the uniqueness of each individual, the importance of being true to ourselves, and the fact that, in all the world, no one was exactly the same as another. We took turns when we talked, we learned to respect the rights of others. If someone didn’t agree with our viewpoint, we listened to the reasons why. I don’t think every person was taught that, though. At least, as I listen to the news, it doesn’t seem so. Plain old respect and courtesy have flown out the window. Now, it is the elite few who tell the rest of us what to do, how to think, what’s okay and what’s not okay. When did this all happen?

We are the ones who hold this Nation together. We are the ones who get up in the morning, go to jobs to support our families, believe in God, salute our Flag, and, if need be, take up arms to defend our liberty. Our thoughts center around budgets, what our children are being taught in school. We come home at the end of the day, tired but thankful–thankful for our freedom, a home, and those who love us. 

We are important; our history is important. If it isn’t agreeable to everyone, or if it’s viewed as hateful, so be it. But, it should not be erased. Nature doesn’t like a vacuum. And, if facts are obliterated, what’s to take their place? 

Are we losing our uniqueness? Are we beginning to accept the fact that we are just a microscopic Who and we are not really smart enough or important enough to have our own ideas or identities? Let’s go back a few years to the kindergarten room and remember that each person is a God-given individual, as important as the next person, and let’s never accept the fatal belief of dreary sameness.