Johnny's Life in America

                                   (just another ridicule-less story)

                                                      Featuring:

                                                      Family

                                                      Drama

                                            Freedom vs. Safety

                                                     Courage

                                                    Relativity

                                                        Love

                                                        Spirit

                                               a “friends of light” 

                                                production 2021

“…it was then that I first spoke to you about our responsibility to you as parents. Our primary job was to prepare you for this world, so when the day came for you to head out into it, you would have with you the tools necessary for you to not only survive, but THRIVE in it.”

-Dad

                                                     Fore words

If you’re looking for a table of contents, you won’t find one. Johnny always likes to look at a book as one whole story, not as a bunch of separate things to go and look up.

Agreed.

But, if you do have a question, do what Johnny does and simply open this book to any page and you’ll find the answers that you’re looking for.

Well, at least it works for Johnny.

                         for Smiler

                              the light of my life

                                               “Only love is real, everything else is illusion.”

                                                                                                           -Carol King

           Introduction

Welcome to the Theater of Life, I’m your host and my name is Chris. Please take my arm and I’ll guide you to your seat. Today you’ve got the incredible luck of being seated way down in the front row, just inches away from the actors. Here you’ll be a first hand witness to the old axiom, truth is stranger than fiction, or the more colloquial, ‘Why entertain yourself with Law and Order on TV, when all you have to do is look out your window or walk out your door and participate?’

During the event, I’ll be filling you in on stuff that you’ll need to know – stuff that you may not have imagined from the actors.  

Today you’ll be entering the wonderful world of OB-jective reality. Now I’m not saying that everything you’re going to read here is the truth, because that's as SUB-jective as reality. I am saying however, that you may have to open the door to your imagination and jump in, to find some of the answers that you’re looking for – then trust in yourself.  By the way, the imagination door is stage right and I’ll be speaking to you from stage left. Oh, and in case you were wondering, my voice sounds just like yours.

Now to our story: Johnny and his folks live in Small Town, America. They live in a really old house at the end of a really big cul-de-sac. Since a storage building is on one side and an open city lot is on the other, Johnny’s house has always been the only one there – not many neighbors if you know what I mean. But, the trees are fully-grown and great for climbing and the field makes a perfect kingdom for Johnny to play in.

Johnny’s the only child of his mom and dad and he’s turned out to be everything they ever wanted and much, much more. Johnny’s folks knew they were getting a special baby, but had no idea what that “special-ty” was going to be. Well in time, they soon found out. Johnny’s specialty is an insatiable quest for knowledge. And please take notice; a “quest” is only an “ion” short of needing an answer.

Even at his youngest age, where most kids have barely found their fingers, Johnny would just point and gurgle on himself. He wants to know everything about everything! Non-stop, never-ending questions. Are you catching my drift? If Johnny doesn’t know something, he’ll ask about it and then to make sure, he’ll ask about it again.

Unfortunately, this characteristic doesn’t lend itself to having very many friends. In fact, Johnny really doesn’t have any at all. I mean, could you deal with a kid who asks questions every waking hour of his life? Johnny’s idea of fun isn’t the same as every other kids’ idea of fun.

Then, when it came to his fellow students, Johnny’s the answer man, he knows everything - as far as they know. Got a question? Go ask Johnny. Don’t know something? Go ask Johnny. (And if he should be wrong? They'd come back to nail him. And if he should be right? Then they'd just KEEP coming back.) This began wearing on him. To maybe get a better insight on how to handle this, Johnny watched his father to see how he handles these matters. Of everyone in his life, Johnny knows that his father IS the answer man. He noticed that Dad rarely gives direct answers; he answers the question with another question and that normally brings the person to the answer they’re looking for. 

Dad doesn’t believe in welfare. He knows at some point people must make an effort to help themselves.

Well, that’s what Johnny began doing. He took the stance of a teacher, instead of an informer and did his best to answer everyone’s question with a question. This failed miserably, though. In trying to help them achieve their own answers, Johnny overlooked the two fundamental laws of being a kid. Kid Law Number One - kids won’t do anything they don’t have to. Kid Law Number Two - kids ALWAYS take the path of least resistance, or in this case, less work.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, sometimes Johnny’s questioning reply brings silence. Meaning the other kid doesn’t know the answer, can’t see Johnny’s perspective or just doesn’t have a clue about what he’s saying. So now, not only is the kid lost, he’s also looking like an idiot in front of his friends. (Something Johnny did NOT want to happen.)  No one wants to work at finding out their own answers only to wind up looking and feeling like an obvious idiot! So, in a very short time, Johnny was shunned. He only wanted them to see that they also have the answer… and the means to find it.

About the only other kids that had anything to do with Johnny, copied his homework or cheated off his tests. Sometimes though, there would be that special friend, someone who would just talk with Johnny and listen to his ideas. But sadly, within no time they’d be gone, moved away.

Johnny felt like he was only good for answering everyone else’s questions or for doing stuff for people that they should be doing for themselves. He felt used and unappreciated. It’s a rare person who likes Johnny for who he is and not for what he can do for them.

There were other times when older kids would turn their class rings around and slap the back of Johnny’s head – OUCH! Poor Johnny could never figure out why kids were so cruel to him. Please understand though, not everyone picks on Johnny – those who don’t, just stand there and watch.

Johnny isn’t totally bummed with his lack of friends though, his mind always finds a way to fill in the gaps and get him to think of something else. Like once in science class, just after Buffy-the-cheerleader returned Johnny’s test notes, the teacher demonstrated how magnets could repel each other.

Johnny’s mind instantly wondered if it’s possible to use that repelling force to move things. He took his pencil and drew a small machine that had an outer ring of magnets, with their positively charged poles facing the center. Directly in the center of the ring, was another magnet mounted on a center rod, with its positive end almost touching the other positive poles. ‘Once the center magnet begins to spin, the repelling force of the other positive ends should keep it spinning, without using any other fuel than magnetism to do it. Boy, that’s pretty cool.’ Johnny finds his imagination to be a very pleasing thing.

Then he shoved the sheet of paper into his desk along side all his other dusty ideas - like drilling small holes into the Earth to tap into the superheated mass just below the Earth’s mantle (crust) and using that super heat to move turbines which would generate electricity in such abundance that we can all have it for free (without creating waste by-products that are lethal to everything alive). Johnny once heard one of his classmates ask, “If everybody has to have it to live, then how come it’s not free?” He couldn’t argue with that logic.

Johnny’s mind never seems to stop working – answers he’s given almost always lead to more questions; solutions just create more problems. This creates a lot of resistance with those folks who have to come up with these answers for a living. Teachers think this behavior is extremely disruptive, especially when Johnny asks them questions they don’t know HOW TO answer. It’s one thing to ask a teacher to explain something that was just explained. It’s quite another thing to pry into areas that everyone else is supposed to be taking for granted and no one can explain why that is.

Here’s a good example: Once upon a time again in science class (which is by the way, Johnny’s favorite), the teacher began discussing Darwin’s theory on evolution and the supposed “missing link.” First, he showed how human bodies are made of the same things the Earth is made of (in fact, in roughly the same percentages). Then he talked about how our “ancestral slime” started in the sea and worked its way onto land. Then he pointed out some human skeletal remains that were about a gazillion years old and compared them to ape and gorilla skeletons of today. 

Then he said, “From that point of man being an upward walking ape, a change in evolutionary patterns emerged and then somehow, someday, that old ape became a man. But the ‘link’ to that evolutionary change is still missing.” Then he turned to the blackboard expecting the class to accept that explanation. Well, everyone did, but Johnny.

You see, it’s the “somehow”, “someday” parts that just drive him crazy. “What? Are you saying that I used to be an ape and before that some kind of slime?” (By the way, Johnny’s voice and thoughts are written in Italics.) Then the questions came that couldn’t be answered. “If we came from the slime, didn’t all the other creatures, too? How come they’re not all humans?” “Who decided what slime would be human and what slime would be everything else?” “If we’re made of the same stuff as the Earth, doesn’t that kinda’ link us to the Earth, making everything on it related?” See what I mean?

Johnny often thought, ‘How can you expect me to believe you, when there’s missing parts that YOU don’t even know the answers to?’ That and, ‘Am I supposed to believe this or is it just being taught to me because someone else believed it?’

It’s very frustrating to Johnny when he hears something that isn’t correctly describing what’s being shown, or the reason given for it goes against the reality of what actually happened. To Johnny, the mere saying of “somehow” and “someday” DEMANDED his questions.

Can you begin to understand Johnny’s frustration? Johnny’s folks certainly can and they do everything possible to ease it. Of course, this requires lots of time attempting to explain things that are almost impossible to explain, but they know this is all part of the deal. In these times, Johnny’s parents really feel for their son. They really agonize with him over his frustration that the “people in charge” won’t answer his questions and this often leads to more questions – faster. All too often, Johnny would be misdiagnosed with some kind of hyper-disease, followed by some other drug being prescribed. I guess since every other “normal” kid sits quietly and learns, it must be abnormal and sick for any other kid to actively participate in the learning - right?

Well, to get to the heart of the issue, Johnny has spent countless hours learning how to pronounce every aspect of our alphabet. He knows what a ‘p’ sound is and an ‘f’ and an ‘h’, as well as a ‘c’ and a ‘k’. He just wants to know why it’s spelled PHONICS. ‘Is this some kind of a joke that adults play on kids? Teach us one way and then tell us there are exceptions to every rule? Why have any rules at all?’ To Johnny, this is just another one of those ridiculous rules that he has to abide by, although it makes no sense and no one’s there explaining why it ISN’T supposed to.

School administrators often encouraged Johnny’s folks to advance him one or two grades, or maybe even three, putting him with children of his own learning level. “…that might ease his frustration.” They’d say. His parents always declined, though. 

The school suggested the possibility of having Johnny placed in a private school, one that’s more suited to his special needs. Again his parents declined. They knew the education that Johnny received by interacting with other children in a public setting was more important than the actual teaching education he could receive in a private school.

Johnny’s parents know that when you learn the hardest lessons FIRST, it puts all of the rest of them in the correct perspective.

Well, Johnny's now in 6th grade and his previous five teachers are pretty happy.  In fact, they've all developed a similar look in knowing that they'll NEVER have to teach Johnny again - can you say relieved? Johnny though, still has to deal with the ridicule and harassment of his fellow classmates, but lately it’s gotten easier. He’s finally learning how to block them out and focus on what HE’S doing. Johnny learned early to not rely on others to get things done. He’s not your normal 11-year-old and it shows.

Very soon, the curtains will be opening on the Theater of Life and Johnny’s life may very well become a part of your own. But before it does, I need to tell you something. Many of the concepts presented in this Theater are very dated. In fact, many are so old that they’re not even thought of anymore – I guess you could call them “mentally extinct.”  But, sometimes it takes a trip to the past to really see where the future is coming from and that may very well be the case here.

Along the way however, should the Theater present you with something that doesn’t quite seem to “wash”, I highly encourage you to jump on stage and take an active part by exploring the wash a little more closely. Maybe you can do some research or relax for a moment and meditate on that "load of laundry." Who knows what might come out!

Well, that’s about it. The only thing you’ll need from here on in is an active imagination and possibly a cold, frothy root beer. Please remember though, it’s taken hundreds of years to get to where we are and it’ll take more than a couple of hours to get to where we want to be. The people employing me made extra sure that I mentioned that to you. They also want you to be aware that it’s just as important for you to know where you’re STANDING, as it is for you to know where you want to be GOING. Excellent, now that that’s out of the way, let’s begin, as the curtains open…

           Family

(Today our story begins in the living room of Johnny’s home. Outside the rain is really coming down and traffic’s going… nowhere. Inside however, Dad’s lounging in his chair reading the Red Words, Mom’s upstairs in the craft room knitting a sweater and Johnny’s laying on the floor watching the TV news, while working on his science project. Let’s join them.)

“…And on Wall Street today, the stock market took a sharp turn downwards as losers overtook winners by a margin of 22 to 1.” (The TV guy said with a perfect nasal monotone.) “The worry now is whether these continued drops will shake the average investor’s confidence enough to lead them to begin selling off.  Meanwhile, Sirian Futures announced that it’s downsizing 26% to raise the capital needed to strengthen their end-of-year profit margin, as was announced at this year’s stockholder’s meeting in Aspen, Colorado. In other news…” (Johnny muted the sound with the remote control.)

Dad, what's downsizing?  (Johnny turned from the TV.)

(Putting down the Words of wisdom, Dad said…) Well son, it’s when a company gets smaller by laying off their workers. It’s normally done when management wants more capital, than liability.

What’s a profit margin?

It’s the money that companies make over and above their expenses. Those expenses are the liabilities I just spoke of. They’re the things that companies have to spend money on, like the wages and benefits for their workers and the equipment and supplies needed to build whatever it is they’re making. That money is then subtracted from the total amount of money made and the money that’s left over is the profit margin – the owner’s money.

Who are stockholders?  (Curiosity is Johnny's strongest suit.)

Well, when the owner of a company wants to really get rich, that person will put the company on the stock market and sell parts of it, called stocks, to people who would like to invest in it. These investors think that the company will become more valuable with time, so they buy the company’s stock with the hope of making more money. If the company fails however, there’s a good chance they’ll lose their money.

Why does somebody always have to lose in order for someone else to win? 

There’s not always a loser Johnny, sometimes BOTH people win.

(Johnny didn’t understand, he often wonders why so many of the answers Dad gives, AREN’T the answers everyone else gives.) But everybody else says these owners “won” by getting what they wanted, causing those workers to “lose” their jobs. 

Johnny, “win-win situations” only happen when both parties WANT them to happen – and they always can. (Dad grinned.) In the business world son, money drives everything. So, the owners were naturally more concerned with their capital, meaning their money, than their liabilities, which are those things that take their money away.

Wow, is that what I’m going to be one day - a liability? (Johnny could only imagine himself in ragged-out clothes, living homeless under the tree out front.)

No, of course not! (Dad laughed.) Johnny, I’m only using the word ‘liability’ because the world uses it. I know those folks are people. You know those folks are people. But the world sees those people as "things", separate from the world – things that are not their responsibility.

AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE BEING OUT OF WORK? (Johnny’s eyes never looked so big!)

No son, please… (Dad pointed to the TV.) When you watch beavers on TV from New York and Pennsylvania, you don’t identify them by that, do you? Aren’t they all just beavers?

Yeah? (Johnny was clueless. At these moments he can only envision himself gazing aimlessly out the porthole window of a spaceship, hoping somewhere along the line, something familiar will show up.)

And when you see cows of different colors, do you call them different names or are they all just cows?

Well geez' Dad, just cows.  (Johnny shrugged, then exclaimed...)  I like the ones that give chocolate mild the best!

Me, too! (Dad and Johnny gave each other a collective high-five.) Yet when the world views humans, there are a great many titles it gives to these humans to separate themselves from each other. These titles are judgments made about you, based on your skin color or your religious and political beliefs or how much money and material possessions you have or the "family" you were born into or the biggest one, your sex. So instead of the world recognizing all humans as belonging to ONE FAMILY, it teaches that humans are "separate" from each other, entangled in a race to only God knows where.

(Dad straightened his seating posture and then continued on very slowly.) Nowadays son, people define themselves according to the perceptions of others. Those perceptions are judgments that people have already made about their OWN skin color or sex or money standing or religious and political views. Next, those judgments are lived as the truth, because they’re believed to be the truth. Then in the final stage, too many Americans judge each other to separate themselves from each other, making sure they create as much "distance" as they can from anything they most deny being a part of.

(Dad stopped for a moment, then said with a blank stare…) The devil takes a heavy rap here, along with everything considered evil or wrong… all demons… bad stuff… oh yea, awful accidents and diseases… (Dad seemed to be rambling.)

(Johnny thought fast.) Dad, HEY DAD, you’re rambling again. (Johnny’s faced this situation before and knows how to handle it.)

Sorry son, sometimes I get locked into a “thought stream.” Man, that one was scary. (Dad knocked out the cobwebs.)

Dad, did God give people orders to act this way? (By now, Johnny too, was sitting straight up, having experienced that “thought stream.”)

Nope, the world figured it out all by themselves. 

(Johnny was catching on. He knows these times of enlightenment always happen, but sometimes they happen later than sooner.) So an important job of mine is to find win-win situations, right? 

Yes, in your life, son. (Dad said proudly.)

(Johnny stood up and looked Dad straight in the eye.)  And if I see my friends fighting, I need to run up and make that a win-win situation, too. Right? (Johnny was bobbing his wide eyes up and down, hoping he was fishing in the right place.)

No, that’s not what I said. (Dad said disappointingly.) No one has the Right to impose their will upon anyone. God made us all equal, we’re all from the same family, right? (Dad’s smiling head was bobbing up and down, hoping he would catch his son.)

Right, but fighting is wrong and my responsibility to my family is to stop it, to MAKE THEM see the win-win situation. (Johnny was now flailing in the sea of truth.)

And how will you do that?

Probably by shoving my way in between them. (Johnny rationalized, moving his arms as if he were frog-stroking for a life buoy.)

So you’ll be willing to fight them both to make them stop fighting? And what if you can’t get them to agree on a mutually beneficial solution? What will you do then, oh wise one? (Dad sat up a little further, anxiously awaiting this answer.)

Suddenly, I don’t feel so wise. (Sadly, Johnny just looked at his feet.)

(Dad tried cheering him up and pulled him to his side.) On the other hand son, no one has the Right to impose their will upon you, either.

But, you and Ma do it all the time. You’re always telling me what to do and what to say and how to act… (Johnny was talking to the floor, scuffing his sneaker.)

Really… (Dad raised his eyebrows.)

Alright, I’m exaggerating a little… (Johnny peeked up.) Alright a lot! But it sure seems to me that you guys are living my life for me. I hear you and Mom talking about freedom, but you’re not allowing ME a whole lot of it. (Johnny purposefully scuffed his sneaker again, on the ME part.)

(Dad always does his best to get his message across on the level of the one receiving it.) Johnny, in all our talks, I try to answer your questions directly and allow you to formulate the next move, this keeps me on your level of understanding and allows you to figure out what you’re looking for. By doing that, I’m not imposing large amounts of adult will upon you and prejudicing you against a kind and patient world. But when your mother and I do impose, it’s for your highest good.

My what? (By now, Johnny was back on the floor, staring over his dad’s shoulder to that spot where two walls meet the ceiling. The “spot of pondering.”)

(Dad reached out to his wonderful boy.) Son, the most important thing your mom and I can ever do for you is to prepare you for the day you’ll be leaving us. As hard as it is for us to even think of that day, it’s that very responsibility your mom and I accepted when we received you. Along the way to achieving this independence though, you’ve got to gain wisdom. The problem is, nearly all wisdom can ONLY be gained through experience and that takes time – and that’s where us adults come in. Son, do you know what I think the two best things we can be born with, are?

Money and insurance? (Johnny grinned. Remember he was watching the TV.)

What?! (Dad was shocked at his son’s flippant answer and pulled back.)

No Dad, just kidding. What two things should we all be born with? 

A knowing of what SELF-DISCIPLINE is and the WILLINGNESS to do it. (Dad paused to regain his composure.) Very few children are born with these things. Those who were, are the most successful people in the world and those who have yet to understand them are the angriest. Very, very few children know of discipline and willingness Johnny, meaning the very vast majority of children in the world have yet to learn them from their parents.

(Dad then joined Johnny on the floor. He knelt beside him, took his hand and then continued.) Son, these are the two toughest things that your mom and I have to somehow get you to understand – and once you do, you’ll know the rules on BEING FREE. But until then, it’s up to us to keep you out of as much trouble as we can. Please trust that your mom and I will never lie to you, cheat you or steal from you. We love you far too much for that. Can you now see why we impose our will for your highest good? (Dad held his son’s hand so gently.)

Yeah-uh. (Johnny paused and looked down. He thought for a moment on how he was going to express his feelings and then asked…) Dad, can you see that you’re kneeling on my science project? (Johnny smiled, as he pointed to a sheet of rice paper that just got utterly destroyed by Dad’s knee.)

(Dad looked down in fright.) Oh boy! Oh Johnny, I’m so sorry. Can you make another one? (Dad felt terrible.)

Sure, Dad. (Johnny had a half-grin on his face.) But in this imposition for my highest good, can we find a win-win situation? 

Hmmm, I guess we’ll really have to look for one here. (Then Dad had a great idea.) Hey! Maybe we can WORK TOGETHER on making a new one!  

Okay, I’ll get the supplies and you get the ice cream. 

Deal! (Dad exclaimed, already heading for the gallon of mint-chocolate chip located somewhere in the freezer.)

           Drama

(The next morning brought a gorgeous sunrise, fresh, clean air, the beautiful sound of singing birds and the heavenly aroma of banana pancakes. Johnny’s smell buds were extra alert this morning, making his stomach growl like a ravenous tiger. It made him wonder if other hungry kids’ stomachs make the same rumbling sound. Mom was already in the kitchen setting the table and Dad was at the stove, frying up “the smell.”)

Mom? (Johnny yawned, coming down the stairs in his leopard pajamas on the prowl for a big breakfast.)

Yes, Honey? (Mom always calls her son, Honey.)

Why do people go hungry? (Johnny spotted an opening and leaped into his chair.)

Well Honey, some think it’s because people are just too ignorant to live where the water is. Others seem to think it’s a personal choice, like these people WANT to live this way! (Mom always thought people should be smarter.)

What do you think? (Johnny began pouring his cereal into his Flintstones bowl.)

I think hungry people exist to continually remind the ones who aren’t, that there’s still work to be done.

What work? (Drip goes the honey.)

First of all, politics needs to be replaced with real human compassion and empathy. Honey, NO words on a piece of paper are more important than life. People need to remember that we’re all part of the same family. People need to replace their fears with kindness and patience… (Johnny interrupted.)

Geez Ma, I thought people are hungry because they need to eat something. Can’t anyone give them any food? (Pour goes the milk.)

Yes, Honey. (Mom said lowly.) There are small volunteer groups that do their best to help these starving people. But all too often, these groups have to work very hard to help everyone and have very little food and government support to do it with.

But I don’t understand. (Johnny complained.) Don’t countries take care of their own people? I mean, we don’t have starving people in America, do we? (In shovels the cereal.)

Honey, (Mom started organizing the maple syrup and butter.) things are the way they are, because of the most backward and ignorant thinking – and for reasons that would only pollute your mind, I’m not going to tell you why.

POLLUTE MY MIND?! (Johnny nearly choked on the vast quantity of cereal in his mouth.)

Yes, I see no good in polluting your mind with such ignorance to simply provide you with a good relative perspective OF ignorance. Honey, garbage is garbage. You can taste it to make sure if you want. (Mom pointed to the garbage can.)

Uh, no thanks. Can I have a napkin? 

(The doorbell rings, it’s their neighbor Margie from down the street.)

Hey, neighb-uhs! (Margie burst in.) I came ov-uh fuh some shu-guh… my Lawd Johnny, aren’t you just makin’ a mess! (Margie’s a died-in-the-wool southern belle and has an eye for goodies.) 

Hi, Margie. (Dad waived his fork in the air.)

Hi, Mrs. Wilson. (Johnny courteously greeted his neighbor, while eating with his right hand and cleaning with his left.)

What on Earth are we creatin’ he-uh? (Margie's eagle-eye vision spotted a lonely banana-nut muffin on the counter.)

A win-win situation, I hope! [chuckle, chuckle] (Johnny quickly covered his mouth to keep any more cereal from escaping.)

Uhm, just getting through breakfast. (Mom grinned, tossing Johnny another napkin.)

So late? (Margie picked up the banana-nut delicacy and began peeling the upper edges of the paper away.) What on Earth do you do ov-uh he-uh? (Suddenly she spun and pointed to the TV.) Ooh, I also wanted to let you know that Jerry Spring-uh’s got this guy on that beats women senseless, only to make them HIS SLAVES and do everything HE SAYS! (Margie’s voice grew louder and more excited.)

I thought imposing will was a bad thing? (Johnny was still soaking up the rest of his fallen flakes.)

What? … (Margie was caught with a mouthful of muffin.)

It is Johnny, but some people simply CANNOT live without drama in their lives. (Dad responded.) 

Could you please pass the maple syrup?

What? (Margie spun back around.) Hey, do you mind if I have a glass of yo-uh distilled wat-uh? Since you make it fresh, I just don’t have a taste for tap wat-uh anymo-uh. Kinda’ tastes like pond slime, if you know what I mean. (Her hands were already in the refrigerator, going “in search of.”)

‘Course. (Mom waived.) Hey, did you see that special last night on the Mayan Calendar and how it says that time is supposed to end on December 21st, 2012? (Mom pointed to the Kim Jacobs calendar on the wall.)

Yeah, and they said… (Johnny started.)

Are you kiddin’? (Margie cut Johnny off, looking for a napkin to rid herself of the evidence.) Last night was the final episode of ‘Wo-uh and Peace’ on ABC. You mean to say you haven’t been watchin’ it? Are you crazy? (Margie rolled her eyes.) Everybody’s watchin’ it, all that death and pain and romance - my fave-uh-rit - and all that action and drama. You didn’t see it? What’s wrong with you? (Margie just stood there with her hands on her hips and crumbs on her lips.)

(Dad suddenly noticed the look in Mom’s eyes and quickly interjected…) We believe there’s enough drama in the physical world Margie, without having to watch it in the fantasy world of television. We think it’s important to gain relative perspectives firsthand, through…

(Margie suddenly noticed the clock above the stove and screamed…) OH MY LAWD, look at the time! I, I gotta’ go. (She nervously stuttered while spinning around like a top, looking for something that she may have forgotten.) Oprah’s comin’ on with this sexy guy, and I need to tape it ‘cause Rocko won’t let me look at oth-uh guys. I think he’s jealous. Well, thanks for the wat-uh, bye! (Margie spilled the glass on the flo-uh… I mean floor and sink on her way out the door.)

Mom, why do people like drama so much? Why do they like to see other people in pain and misery? (Johnny suddenly felt like he’d been through a tornado – it blew in and it blew out.)

Honey, a great many people gain satisfaction from knowing that they’re not alone in their pain. Even if THEY’RE the ones inflicting it on the other person. (Mom stabbed at another pancake.)

What satisfaction? 

The satisfaction of knowing that they’re not alone in their pain and that possibly someone else is MORE worse off than they are. Honey, have you ever heard the saying, misery loves company?

Yeah? Oh, I get it. (Johnny perked up.) I hate being all by myself when I’m hurting. There’s no one around that I can talk to, who could maybe see WHY I’m hurting and at least tell me that I’m NOT wrong for feeling the way I do. (Johnny paused to think of his classmates.) But the problem is, no one ever wants to listen to my pain, since they already have enough of their own to deal with. So, I find myself alone. And then after a while, it all just disappears anyway when I start to think about happier stuff. (Johnny cracked a half-grin and just stared at his half empty bowl.)

Honey, you’re such a smart boy. (Mom beamed.) There may be many, many times when people will judge you differently than everyone else. They’ll expect greater things of you than they even do of themselves. Please don’t get angry with them, they’re just helping you to see how special you really are. (Mom began pouring sugar into an empty baby food jar.)

Dad, do you think Mrs. Wilson will ever see the drama in her life? (Johnny pondered, quietly wondering why it was SO important to listen to a man who makes slaves out of women.)

I think she sees it every day, son. I just don’t think she’s aware of it.

Wait a minute. You’re saying that she sees it, but doesn’t know that it’s there? How can that be? (Johnny couldn’t wait for this answer.)

Son, do you know what a chameleon is?

Yeah, it’s a lizard that can change its skin color to look like its environment! (Johnny just learned about them last week in school.)

Very good. (Dad smiled.) Why do you suppose that’s necessary?

To blend in and keep other animals from seeing it and munching it for lunch! (Johnny confidently replied.)

Anything else?

Well, I guess if it looks like its environment, it’ll also make it easier for the chameleon to munch on other animals that DON’T know it’s there. (Johnny seemed excited.)

Exactly. So therefore, is it possible for a chameleon to be in a place that an animal is looking, yet not be seen? (Dad looked for the light.)

(The light shineth.) Yeah… so… in order for me to really find something, I have to know what it is I’m looking for, otherwise I may be looking right at it and not know it’s there. (Johnny paused for a moment to think.) MRS. WILSON DOESN’T KNOW IT’S THERE! She sees it but isn’t aware of it. Wow Dad, I never thought that people don’t see things the way I do. (Johnny’s eyes always get so big when he learns something new.)

(Mom put the jar of sugar by the front door, then started clearing the table.) Honey, your wisdom amazes me every day. Now, are you going to eat the rest of your cereal or just keep dunking those flakes?

They’re all soggy. Dad, are there any win-win cereals out there? Kinds that taste good and  stay crunchy, too? (Johnny kept beating his flakes into submission.)

Mom and I will look for ‘em, son… we’ll look for ‘em.

(Just then, Margie burst through the door again, only to see Mom pointing to the jar of sugar that she left on the shelf by the door.)

Thank you so much. Sometimes I get goin’ so fast, I fuh-get what I’m doin’ altoge-thuh! (Margie grabbed the sugar and split.)

Hey! (Johnny had an excellent thought about cereal.) The really good ones could be hiding in their own environment – CHAMELEON CEREAL! I think I’ll go with you guys next time to the store, you may need another pair of eyes to find ‘em. (Johnny imagined, licking his lips and rubbing his palms together.)

And hands? (Mom and Dad laughed.)

           Freedom vs. Safety

(A couple of years have passed and Johnny’s having a problem with one of his classes – American History. To date, Johnny’s never really had any problems with any of his classes. I mean, it’s easy for him to understand that ¼=0.25; a little harder for him to understand that “i comes before e except after c”, although it’s become tolerable; but when it came to history, namely the Founding part, Johnny couldn’t get it. Having listened to his father for all these years, Johnny’s perspective of it varied slightly from the one he was being forced to accept. These were the times when Johnny’s trouble-meter pegged.)

Dad, I’m home! (Johnny announced, kicking the mud off his sneakers outside, before taking them off inside – on the mat.)

(Dad was checking in the oven on the almost-baked garden lasagna that he and Mom spent all morning putting together. After that, Mom went shopping and still is.) Hey tiger, how was school today? Ooh looks really wet out there.

Well, history class was really confusing, and I couldn’t quite seem to understand what Ms. Wilder was trying to say. (Johnny strolled into the kitchen.)

About what?

You know how you and Mom talk about freedom and the Constitution and seem to know everything about it? (Johnny put his backpack on the kitchen table.) 

Not everything. (Dad closed the door to the oven.)

Okay, but you still know more than Ms. Wilder does. 

(Dad got a sinking feeling in his stomach.) Uh oh Johnny, what did you say?

Well, when Ms. Wilder said that we created the finest democratic government in the world, I asked why it isn’t republican. She got real angry with me and said, “The Republicans have no compassion or empathy and would watch the world starve so long as they had a job, a roof over their heads and food on the table.” 

I don’t think she understood you.

I know, but I tried to explain, and she wouldn’t let me. She kept saying that Republicans are selfish and war-mongolians… or something like that. (Johnny shrugged his shoulders.)

Warmongers. (Dad helped.)

Yeah, that’s it. 

(Dad pointed to the framed Constitution hanging on the wall.) Did you show her Article IV, section 4?

Nah, she wouldn’t let me. She said that I must listen to my father too much, since he’s obviously a Republican. I told her “Of course he is, since our government is supposed to guarantee them.” Then she got REAL mad. 

(Dad quietly laughed.) Johnny, the republican form of government spoken of in the Constitution isn’t a political party, it’s a way of life. Here, Common Law is the people’s law and Government Laws only exist to make sure that all governments are operating under the same basic rules and that all the bridges and roads are built to the highest specifications. Son, if we make sure that we’re always building to the highest standards, we’ll always be protected.

(Dad paused to visualize the Golden Gate.) The Republicans Ms. Wilder spoke about are a political party, like the Democrats. They’re supposed to make sure that our governments’ serve us by protecting our liberties and freedoms.

Uh well, that wasn’t all of it. (Johnny was just looking at his feet.)

Oh no, what else? (Dad exhaled heavily.)

Well, when Ms. Wilder said that we created the finest democratic government in the world, I asked why it isn’t republican. She got really angry with me and said, “The Republicans have no compassion or empathy and would watch the world starve so long as they had a job, a roof over their heads and food on the table.” 

I don’t think she understood you.

I know, but I tried to explain, and she wouldn’t let me. She kept saying that Republicans are selfish and war-mongolians… or something like that. (Johnny shrugged his shoulders.)

Warmongers. (Dad helped.)

Yeah, that’s it. 

(Dad pointed to the framed Constitution hanging on the wall.) Did you show her Article IV, section 4?

Nah, she wouldn’t let me. She said that I must listen to my father too much, since he’s obviously a Republican. I told her “Of course he is, since our government is supposed to guarantee them.” Then she got REAL mad. 

(Dad quietly laughed.) Johnny, the republican form of government spoken of in the Constitution isn’t a political party, it’s a way of life. Here, Common Law is the people’s law and Government Laws only exist to make sure that all governments are operating under the same basic rules and that all the bridges and roads are built to the highest specifications. Son, if we make sure that we’re always building to the highest standards, we’ll always be protected.

(Dad paused to visualize the Golden Gate.) The Republicans Ms. Wilder spoke about are a political party, like the Democrats. They’re supposed to make sure that our governments’ serve us by protecting our liberties and freedoms.

Uh well, that wasn’t all of it. (Johnny was just looking at his feet.)

Oh no, what else? (Dad exhaled heavily.)

Well, then Ms. Wilder started talking about how government should take away everyone’s guns. “That would make everyone safe,” she said. 

From what?

From all of the criminals, I guess. (Johnny shrugged.) I asked her about the Second Amendment, and she just cut me off. She said, “The Second Amendment doesn’t apply anymore because that was a long time ago and it only applied to Revolutionary War days, NOT NOW.”

Hmmm, interesting. (Dad scratched his hairy chin.) What else did Ms. Wilder tell you?

She told me to sit quietly and stop interrupting the class. 

And did you?

Yeah, until she brought up how government makes up laws and why we need so many police officers to enforce them. 

(Dad got that sinking feeling again.) Oh no son, what did you say?

Uh, I repeated you Dad from the other night. I said, “If government gets its power from the people and the people don’t have the power to trespass against their neighbors, take things from their neighbors, hurt their neighbors and make their neighbors do things against their will, then where does government get that power from?” (Johnny always likes to quote Dad and then watch for the reactions.)

Oh boy, what’d she say? (Dad winced, waiting for his son’s reply. He really does do his best to shield Johnny away from those thoughts, but now he sees that he needs to do a better job of it.)

Ms. Wilder sent me to the principal. I tried to explain that I wasn’t trying to cause trouble; I just didn’t understand why she was teaching Constitutional stuff that disagreed with the Constitution in the first place! (Johnny felt stymied.)

What did Mr. Wyatt say? (By now the sweat was really beading on Dad’s forehead and may I say, it’s a big forehead.)

He said, “People have different views of life, and in America we have the Right to express them. But you should always trust your government to look out for you and do what’s best for you. That’s the purpose of a democracy, to make sure that most of the people get what most of the people want.” 

Uhm, what happened next? (Dad squinted.)

Then I asked for a copy of the Constitution to show him, and he sent me to study hall for the last 15 minutes of the day. (Johnny was feeling mighty low.)

How do you feel about this, young man?

I just don’t understand why adults won’t answer my questions. I don’t understand why they get so angry with me. (Johnny had tears of frustration welling in his eyes.) Isn’t the purpose of school to make us smarter? Aren’t we supposed to LEARN from history, instead of just being forced to memorize it? Aren’t teachers supposed to teach us the truth? 

(Dad spoke very gently…) Son, teachers do teach the truth – their truth. Once upon a time in America, teachers taught from experience – shop teachers used to make a living out of making things and science teachers were once scientists. But today, teachers rarely teach from experience, they’re "told" what to teach and this gives them little opportunity to teach what they truly KNOW. There are many great teachers son, but without first-hand knowledge through experience, truths can be changed to teach something else and those teaching them, along with the students, will never know the difference.

But the Constitution is so plain… I mean… it’s RIGHT THERE! (Johnny turned and pointed to it.)

(Dad was really feeling his son’s frustration, an emotion he was all too familiar with when he was a child. He knew the only thing left to do is what his dad did for him.) Johnny, would you like to hear a possible objective perspective as to why things are the way they are?

Can I get a root beer first? (Johnny seemed to plead.)

Sure.

(After getting a mug full of ice, Johnny dumped the soda into the glass and was instantly reminded of froth.) Uh, Dad? 

Yes, Johnny, let’s clean that up first. (Dad grabbed the "quicker-picker-upper" and did the dirty work, while Johnny studiously walked over and sat on the couch.)

Son, a long time ago some people who lived in Europe were getting hammered pretty heavy on their religious beliefs. These people couldn’t even pray to their own God without being harassed and harmed by the local townspeople. In fact, things got so bad that the only way they could “live” their beliefs at all was to pack up their belongings, leave their homes and go somewhere else – PERMANENTLY.

 Wow and they really did? (Johnny always loves listening to Dad’s objective perspectives.) 

Yep, they gathered as many belongings as they could and got into big sailing ships and came to America; a place where they hoped they could be free. This took a lot of courage, though. They knew once the decision was made, that was it – no looking back.

Sounds scary. (Johnny was holding on to his mug pretty tightly.)

That’s the power of freedom, son. It makes people uproot all they have and believe in, to go in search of it. In this case, not only did they leave just about everything behind, but they also knew little to nothing about the place they were going. They really didn’t know much about the seasons or what, if anything, would grow in a garden.

Sounds really scary, now. (Johnny slurped.)

Yes, but guess what? Help was waiting for them, and they didn’t even know it. In fact, it would come from whom they least expected - the American Indians. These wonderful people actually taught the newcomers how to grow crops and told them of the best times to plant. They taught these foreigners how to hunt and did all they could to teach them about Nature and how it was SO important to follow Nature’s ways. Without their assistance son, the newcomers wouldn’t have made it.

Man Dad, these folks really wanted their religion, didn’t they? Did the Indians let them pray?

Absolutely. The American Indians lived according to the Laws of Nature and were one of the most enlightened societies on Earth. They had compassion and empathy for their new neighbors. (Dad’s tone grew a little more serious.) Over time though, these freedom-seekers stopped seeing this new land as something to be shared and began CLAIMING it as theirs. Along with this concept came the need for controlling and protecting their new land. Then came the concept of expansion, which allowed more freedom-seekers to come in. And those who resisted and stood in the way of progress, which were basically all the Indians, well, they were rolled over and their threat against America’s security was vanquished. Son, history repeats over and over again, until the lesson is learned.

But… they helped the new people out. The Indians saved their lives! (Johnny did NOT understand. ‘How the heck can ya’ kill somebody that just saved you?’ Amen.)

Son, you’re beginning to get a glimpse of what was to come. You see, it’s the way of the “white man” to… (Johnny interrupted.)

White man? Wait a minute Dad, aren’t we white? (Johnny flipped his hand back and forth, closely scrutinizing the skin color of both sides.)

Careful, son. Try to always be aware of the “limitation” you’re claiming to own. (Dad slowed way down.) When I say white man, I’m speaking of the men from the European area of the world, where man’s law was perfected. In most other parts of the world, people were living in harmony with their neighbors, without creating the NEED to write those harmonies down as “law.”

Dad, white people can only live together if laws are created? (Johnny wiped off his root beer mustache.)

It appears so, son. Do you understand now?

Yeah, but is this going to get much more complicated? (Johnny likes things simple.)

Son, complicated is the way this world likes things to be. Complicated means everyone needs everyone to survive, and no one has the power to figure it all out on their own. Therefore, law is no different; it’s MADE complicated to keep the lawyers “in need.” The people have allowed their representatives to create the laws in the language of lawyers - one that’s foreign to us. So, the more complicated they can make the wording, the less number of people will know what’s being said. And this forces more people to rely on the lawyers to figure it all out.

(Johnny never heard such a ridiculous answer in all his life. Not that he doubts his father’s words, he just can’t believe people would actually do all this on purpose!)

Son, for whatever reason, the world likes things complicated. Now to get back to the white man; it’s the way of the white man to first claim ownership; then write laws to PROVE it; then create enforcers to implement them; then go out and conquer whatever it is “the law” just claimed to own. This concept of living was completely foreign to the American Indians and exactly OPPOSITE of Nature. (For once, Dad wasn’t smiling.)

But why? Why did the new Americans have to kill the native Americans? Didn’t the Indians have lawyers that could make up laws that made them getting killed illegal? Why couldn’t they all just live together? (Johnny was having a hard time believing his ears. He quickly thought about his limited existence on Earth and his even fewer experiences, but he knew with the little he’s seen and done, Dad was right. He also knew there was going to be no one, not a single soul in school, church, in the media or anywhere that was going to give him this objective perspective.)

Johnny, the strangest thing about most Americans is their tendency to base their happiness on their ability to gain control over things. The more control they have, the happier they are and the better life is. (Dad touched Johnny’s cheek.) Therefore, the only way the new, not-so-native Americans COULD be happy, was to remove anything and everything that didn’t support their control. After all son, it was their lack of control over their own religious lives that forced them to sail to America in the first place. Believe me, the number one most important thing to them outside of God was security - through control.

(‘Does that include Nature, too?’ Johnny remembered a PBS show he watched the other night. It showed how entire forests were being cleared for strip malls. That, and all the safe and secure gated communities going up around America.)

Son, these folks called themselves Americans, but their habits and tendencies still made them live as Europeans. To them, America was a new land, not a new way of life. (Dad paused for a moment, to let that sink in.) Then at some point, enough Europeans came to America that they decided it was time to create a new government, not like the kind they just left, a better one.

A better one? (Johnny was confused.) What was wrong with the one they had? 

Uhm, that was the problem, son. Their old government was the thing that drove them to America to begin with. And that government was named “The King.” The King believed that all the people living in His Kingdom owed their existence to Him and that meant all their property, too. And since He owned everyone, He created laws that dictated how the people must live, what they could or couldn’t do with their own bodies, what they could say and even what they could THINK! The King levied unapportioned taxes on the people, meaning the taxes were unequal and unfair. This tactic left his opponents scattered and few and far between, with little resources to do anything about it, anyway. Total and complete control over the people kept him in power. In fact, The King was so powerful, that he also dictated which God his subjects were going to worship and that’s when the real problems started.

You mean for the people who came to America? (Johnny followed closely.)

Yes, son. They learned from their old King what NOT to do and came to America in search of doing just that. Now this new government was to be created OF the people, BY the people and FOR the people. Its job was to build roads and bridges - what they call infrastructure nowadays - create a common currency between all the states, create a common army to defend our borders from foreign enemies and establish a PEACEFUL MEANS of settling disputes between the states. (Then Dad slowed way down again.) But needless to say son, government was created to protect and serve the people by doing for the people what they couldn’t do or didn’t want to do individually.

What things? (Johnny was really working on his root beer by now.)

(Dad began pointing again.) Johnny, go build that bridge for the town and then go and protect the Carolina coast from invaders and then come home and harvest your wheat and take it to the market hoping that the money you’re trading for is worth anything. Oh, and don’t forget about your roof.

(The light shineth, again.) Oh, I get it. So, government was created to protect our freedom and serve us in protection of that freedom by doing what we ask it to do. 

Exactly. (Dad was very proud of his smart boy.) But we CANNOT ask the government to create and enforce laws that violate the Common Law. Man’s law cannot violate God’s Law and still maintain balance and order.

Why not? 

Over time son, UNNATURAL SYSTEMS naturally begin to break down from within. Things go out of balance. Scientists call that entropy. (Dad could see that Johnny looked lost.) Okay let’s see, can you imagine a beautiful top spinning perfectly on a tabletop?

Yeah? (‘Here we go again.’)

What would happen if you could instantaneously stick a piece of chewing gum on the top?

It would go out of balance and get all wobbly. 

Exactly. And why do you suppose the top would do that?

Well, since weight was only added to one side, it made the top go out of balance – it couldn’t spin in one place anymore with one side weighing more than the other. After a while, it would spin wildly until it fell over on its side. (Johnny was answering obliviously. He was visiting another uncharted galaxy.)

Johnny, all of Nature is in balance. Ba-lance. (Dad was balancing his hand in midair and rocking it back and forth in front of Johnny’s nose. Ba-lance.) When a man lives according to Nature’s laws, he lives naturally and in balance. When he turns to Nature for answers, he knows he’s receiving the truth. But when man makes laws that create the illusion that man is “separate” from Nature and in fact, OWNS Nature and then lives accordingly, well, that perception is definitely out of balance and sooner or later that top is going to fall.

Kinda’ like the old USSR, huh Dad? (Johnny was going through fallen empires week in school.) Or maybe even the Romans? 

Yes, son. And history will continue to repeat over and over again, until the lesson is learned. After that, it won’t be needed anymore.

(Just then a police siren cut through the peacefulness and they both looked out the front window to see the twirling lights doing a U-turn and speeding out of the cul de sac.) Now where was I? Oh yes. (Dad continued.) Johnny, a number of far-sighted people, called our forefathers, then gathered together to determine what kind of government could be created that would NOT violate the people’s law, but still serve the people in a capacity where they can be free. To do this, they created the Constitution for the united states of America.

Did it try to create balance? (The thought of the spinning top was still fresh in Johnny’s active mind.)

Yes, and I believe that in spirit, it did just that. You see, once the Constitution was signed, the thirteen original individual republics had thirteen different ways of doing dozens of things that they all had IN COMMON.

Like making money and trading? (Johnny hopefully guessed.)

Yes, absolutely. (Dad just loves his son’s steel-trap wit.) The Constitution was created to make those things equal, THE SAME, between the States. Only when every State stood on common ground with each other, could there be fairness – and balance. However, when one part claims to be more than what it really is, weight gets added and things go out of balance, again.

(Just then Johnny had a flashback to last night’s newscast. He remembered a story about a big gathering in Washington DC. The people were there demanding equal rights and equal opportunities from the Federal Government. They cried out over the inequality of incomes between the races and sexes and the lack of training available to allow them to get “really good” jobs. Many were screaming for child daycare. Some even argued AGAINST IT, claiming that daycare simply allows the opportunity for parents to place their children in someone else’s care, allowing them the time to find the jobs that will create enough money to continue to pay for their children to be raised by someone else. Everyone claimed to be a MINORITY and a VICTIM to the system. “It’s about time they listened…” Johnny remembered an older lady saying.)

So, if the Constitution was created to make things equal, how come things are so unequal? (Johnny was feeling like he was back climbing up Pike’s Peak, just like he did last summer vacation.)

Son, the Constitution was created to make man’s creation equal, not God’s creation. God’s creation ALREADY WAS EQUAL. It was only when man began demanding control over Nature, that the concept of security through sameness became reality over the Right to be free and individual. Inevitably, Americans stopped reading their own Constitution. They soon lost the concept of a republican form of government from the perspective of their founders and gained a new one from someone else who claimed to know better. The concept of a democracy was then established where the majority of the people got what they wanted, even if the minority didn’t. Common Law was abolished, which was the law of the free people, and was then replaced with government law, called Admiralty or Maritime law, where things are best when everything’s THE SAME. This is the law that’s supposed to make man’s creation equal. (Dad knew that was a lot to say, but sometimes he just can’t figure out a better way to say it.)

Wait a minute Dad, I’m confused – Common Law? Admiralty Law? One is free; one makes us the same? What…? (Johnny’s mind boggled. ‘Well folks, here we go again zooming in our little spaceship moving as fast and far away from easy and simple as we can! Man, why do grown-ups always have to make everything so difficult? Why is it always so important to make everything so doggone complicated?’ Johnny was unconsciously drumming “Wipeout” with his hands on his knees.)

(Dad spoke very slowly.) Son, Common Law means the law is common to everyone and simple enough for everyone to understand. Under the Common Law no one has the Right to violate another American’s life, liberty or property; we are all responsible for our own actions; and no group of people has any greater Rights than any individual American. Meaning I, as your neighbor, cannot make you do anything if you’re not doing anything to me. And under the Common Law, should I injure you, I have to make it right. That’s simple common sense. 

(Johnny nodded his head on that one. He likes common sense.)

Now Admiralty Law, on the other hand, is a fish of another feather. This is the law that makes governments work. Many aspects of government don’t ever reach the average household, so government had to come up with a way to take care of its business without troubling the good folks back home. This law created "entities" called corporations that can think, speak and act like a human, but can’t ever be found. Governments also needed a law where decisions could be made quickly and correctly, that’s also what this law does. It’s just like being a captain of the ship and the captain makes all the rules and regulations, creates all laws and has them enforced and claims all personnel and equipment as his own and…

JUST LIKE THE KING! (Johnny blurted out, to his own amazement.)

Yes, exactly son, just like The King. Now the people told the government that only one more law could be used and that’s Equity law or contract law. This law allows people to make contracts between themselves. But we won’t get into that right now.

(‘Whew, thank you God!’ Johnny thought looking up.) So, the law that’s supposed to be ‘common’ isn’t and some other ‘sea law’ is? (Johnny half-smiled, doing his best to understand.)

Yep, and the people in the courts’ system call that one the “color of law”, because it’s always changing.

LIKE A CHAMELEON!

Exactly. Common law cannot change, because it’s the law of Nature. Man’s law is forever changing, because it exists OPPOSITE of Nature.

So everything’s backwards? (Johnny’s eyes got big.)

Johnny, what’s “live” spelled backwards? (Dad was testing the waters.)

Uh, let’s see… live that’s e-v-i-l, EVIL! Wow, it spells evil! (Johnny was truly amazed.)

Johnny, what’s “lived” spelled backwards? (Dad was really smiling now.)

Uh, lived… d-e-v-i-l. Holy cow Dad, that spells devil! 

(Dad could only laugh.) And what happens when you live backwards?

YOU BECOME EVIL! And if you’ve lived backwards, then you’ve been the devil - right? (Johnny DOES NOT like that guy one bit.)

Son, (Dad took a moment to regain his composure.) these are only guides for you. Once you begin noticing them, you’ll realize that they’re not here to be afraid of, they’re here to help you understand things a little bit better. (Dad had a huge smile on his face.)

Dad, why is our government choosing to be backwards? (Johnny began feeling for all of those people who have yet to know what he now does.)

Power Johnny, power. (Dad said very calmly, doing his best to NOT get his son upset.) It’s a very powerful thing to be able to write words on a piece of paper and make all Americans abide by them. It’s a very powerful thing to sit in judgment over other Americans and be able to make those people do things that they don’t want to do. It’s also a very power thing to accept a job where it’s okay to hurt people to force them to follow such laws. (Dad touched Johnny’s cheek.)

Johnny, it all stems from people thinking that they have the ‘Right’ to MAKE their neighbors conform, to whatever “it” is that the people believe to be right – AND “IT” CHANGES ALL THE TIME! At some point son, the choice was made that it was right to have security through sameness and wrong to be free, with the ability to demonstrate it. That son, is exactly opposite of what was intended. In America, the experiment was freedom, not safety through control. (Dad always seems to finish his illusions with a smile.)

(Johnny was frustratingly angry.) Why are people allowing this to go on? Why don’t we make a government that’s supposed to do what our Constitution tells it to do? 

Son, do you remember Margie and her drama?

Yeah? Oh, I get it, they don’t see it either. They’re like chameleons, living in an environment where everyone keeps changing as their idea of right keeps changing. And since everybody’s doin’ it, everybody feels safe about it. But whenever somebody does something free, outside of what’s defined as “right”, those people who like security better than freedom, do what they can to right that wrong by making everybody the same. (Johnny thought for a moment.) Which is why Ms. Wilder sent me out of class today, to keep everybody thinking the same! I get it, “The People” have chosen to live this way and the government is only responding to what they want… AND NO PIECE OF PAPER IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT!! (Johnny was shaking his enlightened head in disbelief.)

Exactly! (Johnny’s brilliance astounded his father.) And in our governments’ outstanding efforts to create a safe environment by making everyone the same, the American people forgot that even though a free life may not necessarily be safe, a safe one is definitely not free.

But I thought freedom was what the pilgrims were looking for. Weren’t they looking for freedom to do what they wanted to do? I mean, wasn’t the purpose of this country to allow people to do what they wanted, without being told that they COULDN’T? (Johnny was now looking at things from a perspective of a boy nearly 250 years old.)

Yes, son, but most people fear freedom. Most Americans equate freedom, to the Right of anyone, to be free to impose themselves upon anyone else, for any good reason. People fear that freedom is a disease, which makes people think they have the free Right to freely steal from you or freely hurt you, all in the name of “Freedom,” because now they’re somehow free to do it. 

(Dad was shaking his head in disgust.)

That sounds pretty strange, Dad. 

It’s that very perception that’s been greatly advanced by that “reality rearranger” over there in the corner (Dad pointed to the TV set.) and is again, BACKWARDS. It couldn’t be farther from Natural Law. No one has the Right to steal from you. No one has the Right to injure you and no group of people has the Right to change that. Yet, the simple act of BEING free causes people, who only KNOW freedom through laws that DEFINE what freedom is, to act violently and punish those who are ACTING free into making them conform to society’s standards – happy controlled freedom! (Dad was flailing his arms all about with a huge smile. Kinda’ looked like an inflatable tube guy.) 

(‘Where’s my spaceship?’ Johnny thought, ‘I’ve had about enough of this monkeyshine.’)

(Dad knew he was only hanging on by a thread.) Johnny most people fear the unknown. Therefore, since freedom IS the unknown, those folks who don’t like the unknown will do their best to create a life where most everything is known. That makes them feel much safer, because it relieves the stress and responsibility of living in the unknown. And besides, most Americans like being told what to do anyway, because it makes their lives easier and simpler by not having to be responsible for that, too.

(Dad continued on with great hope.) Also son, the concept of freedom exists OUTSIDE of the concept of control. “Things” that operate under the rules of control don’t recognize freedom, because to those “Things”, that concept is beyond belief. It’s something that can’t even be THOUGHT OF. Son, once the decision was made to abandon the Natural Law of existence, which is freedom and replace it with the adaptable laws of man, which are all based in SAFETY, well, I’d say that’s where all the problems began. (Dad feels like Johnny’s about to see the light. Sometimes it takes a long time for Dad to create an illusion that’s strong enough for someone else to see.)

(The light cometh one more time.) Wow, so that’s why things are the way they are. It all comes down to people wanting to FEEL safe, over wanting to BE free! (Johnny felt very enlightened and took a big swig of his root beer.)

Yup, (Dad nodded, keeping that huge smile.) and getting mad over this perceived injustice won’t solve anything, it will only make you live backwards. (Dad was grinning from ear to ear.)

Okay, (Johnny prepared himself.) so let me see if I’ve got this right. Our governments were created to protect our freedoms, like the Constitution says, but since no one reads it anymore, no one realizes that the current way of life in America is exactly OPPOSITE of the way it was intended. We were intended to be free, not controlled. But since The People make up the government, they’ve decided to be secure in their own sameness, instead of insecure in their own freedoms. (Johnny paused to think about that.) Wow, people just want to feel safe, and they don’t care if it affects their neighbors one bit! (Johnny’s shoulders slumped.) This is depressing. No wonder why we live where we do. (‘I always wondered about that.’) Boy, do I have THIS to look forward to for the rest of my life? 

(Dad pulled Johnny to him and held him in his arms.) Son, I only tell you these things to prepare you for the day you’ll be leaving us. As your father, my most important job is to impart sufficient wisdom upon you, so you may not just survive in the world, but THRIVE in it. The only way we learn is through questioning. Someday, America will begin questioning. There may be folks who’ll call those questions sedition or treason or just being un-American. But Johnny, those people are living life exactly OPPOSITE of Nature. (Dad looked squarely into his boy’s eyes.)

(And said.) They seek safety, because they fear freedom.

(Dad went on.) Don’t be afraid of these people, son, DO NOT fear them. It’s actually their fear that’s consciously creating the fear in their lives, not the freedom they’re witnessing. One day they’ll recognize that, and a new America will return to its old, intended future.

Dad? (Johnny looked up at his dad’s face.)

Yes, my bright “sun?” (Dad responded, while cupping Johnny’s face in his hand.)

How did you and Mom get to be so smart? I mean, how do you know so much? (Sometimes Johnny feels like he knows nothing.)

Johnny, it’s not so much being smart, as it is being AWARE. It takes an ability to look at things objectively, without any personal agenda being satisfied. It also takes accepting, without a NEED to change whatever it is outside of you that’s bothering you. Here’s where anger begins… (Dad pointed one way.) And ends. (Then the other.)

(Johnny quickly glanced over Dad’s shoulder into the kitchen.) Uh Dad, are you aware of the smoke coming out of the oven? 

OH NO! (Dad bolted from the couch, slid safely across the linoleum kitchen floor and flipped down the oven door.) Ah shoot, the lasagna… ARRGH!! All that work… Feel like havin’ pizza tonight? (Dad could only shake his head in disgust.)

Sure, Dad! (Johnny noticed Mom pulling up in the driveway.) But, I’m not so sure Ma’s gonna’ look at this objectively and accept what just happened. 

Sometimes son, (Dad numbly stared at the charred veggie brick.) awareness can be “selective.”

           Courage

(It’s now toward the end of the school year and most of the kids are focusing on summer camps and summer fun. On this day, for whatever reason, Johnny left school through the back door and that’s something he hasn’t done in quite some time. The last time he did that, about two years ago, three kids jumped him and gave him a good thumping. Earlier on in that day, Johnny saved a kid from getting thumped by those same three bullies when he yelled for a teacher. I guess they just wanted to let him know how much they appreciated getting suspended.

Well, on his way out of school this day, that wasn’t exactly the case. Today, Johnny noticed a bunch of kids standing around looking at something over near the bushes. Well, Johnny’s curiosity couldn’t let this moment go by, so he went over for a look-see. What he saw made his gentle nature take a back seat. Two boys were being very mean to a young girl, and no one would help her.)

…Why won’t you leave me alone? (She pleaded, struggling with the bullies to get back her book bag. Then she turned to the crowd of kids and begged…) Will somebody please HELP ME?

(Johnny looked around and saw nothing but statues.) Doggone it. I know Dad said that I don’t have the Right to impose my will, BUT THEY DON’T EITHER! (Johnny reminded himself out loud. Then, like the moment of the creation of a new sun, his feelings of anger and rage overcame him, and he burst out running toward the boys, yelling and screaming like a madman.)

What the… (Was all the boys could get out.)

(Then Johnny literally threw himself into them. And as if he had actually exploded, the bullies went flying into a bunch of garbage cans. Then Johnny immediately picked himself up and stood over the two, with his finger wildly pointing at them both.) MY DAD SAYS NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO IMPOSE THEIR WILL ON ANYBODY ELSE AND THAT MEANS YOU, TOO!! (Johnny, notwithstanding.)

(The boys were so shocked they jumped to their feet and hauled you-know-what the heck out of there.)

Are you okay? (Johnny was closely studying the young girl’s face, while also noticing the trail of dust, freshly kicked up by two boys who had yet to figure out what on Earth had just happened. He reached down and picked up her book bag and handed it to her.)

Uhm, I think so. (She was obviously shaken.) Who are you? Why did you risk yourself for me? You don’t even know me. (She seemed truly amazed that one person would do such a thing for a perfect stranger.)

I’m sorry, were they your friends? Should I run and bring them back? (Johnny was hoping he wouldn’t have to, because he knew he’d have to run pretty fast to catch up with them.)

NO! It’s only… those boys have been picking on me since I moved here in September, and no one would help me - until you… (The young girl regained her composure.) Thank you! Thank you so much for helping me. My name is Amy. (She extended her hand for a confident shake.)

Hi Amy, I’m Johnny. (Johnny was lost in the moment of beauteous maximus. He was marveling at the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, and I don’t think he heard a single word she said. Johnny had never before experienced love at first sight, you know.)

(Amy noticed that Johnny had really pulverized those boys… and the garbage cans.) Boy, you really hit those jerks pretty hard. (Then she reached up and brushed a banana peel off his shoulder, with a smile.)

Uhm thanks. I guess I did get a bit crazy. (Johnny was also brushing assorted matter off his clothes.) Ahhh! I wonder how I’m going to explain this. (He complained, as he began noticing the rips and tears caused by asphalt and sharp edges. Then his imagination instantly took him home, where right after walking in the door he sees himself being confronted by his parents about his clothes and then… he’s going to have to tell the truth about everything that’s happened, which will show that he started the fight – if you want to call it that. And that will CERTAINLY bring more pain and misery into his life. Oh, woe is Johnny. And to make things worse…)

Well, I have to go. (Amy half-grinned.)  My mom’s probably waiting for me by now. Thanks again for helping me. Will I see you again tomorrow?

(Right then, Johnny noticed her homework books… ‘Holy cow, she’s two grades OLDER - that means [swallow] that those guys are - uh oh.’ Johnny shrunk.) Uh, yeah, sure, tomorrow, for sure. Bye. 

(Johnny waived goodbye, gave a nervous smile AND SPLIT. All the way home, he imagined those bullies were hiding behind Mrs. Whirlahee’s rose bushes, readying themselves for an easy thumping. I don’t think he’ll ever go out that back door again, ever… as long as he lives.

The second Johnny got home, he slammed the door shut and locked BOTH locks. Then he took a moment to peak out through the curtains, back into the street. In case you were wondering, Johnny remembered another way home.)

Honey, is that you? (Mom asked from upstairs.)

Oh no. (Johnny’s mind suddenly focused on other humans.) My folks. Shoot! (His shoulders slumped, and he meekly made his way up the stairs.)

(Both parents were in the craft room – he likes making functional stuff and she likes arts and crafts, like creating Raffia Christmas Angels.  Dad heard his son’s heavy footfalls on the stairs.)  We’re in here. How was your day, today?

Okay, except at the very end. (Johnny was doing his best to slow down his breathing. Then he peaked around the corner into the room, followed closely by the rest of his body.)

Whoa. (Dad put down the silver water machine he had almost finished making. The vision before him was something quite unexpected.)

(Johnny began very softly.) Dad, you know when you told me that I didn’t have the Right to impose my will on anybody? Well, today I kinda’ did. (He stood before his father with hands in pockets and eyes on feet.) I know I’m not supposed to impose my will, but today I had to… (He lifted his head.) TWO BOYS WERE BEING VERY MEAN TO AMY AND NOBODY WOULD HELP HER!

Amy? (Mom spun around to see her child for the first time. She was done creating Angels for now.)

Yeah, I just met her and boy she’s cute! Anyway, these two 10th graders were picking on her and making her cry, so I kind of imposed. (Johnny’s voice got real soft.)

Uhm, in what way? (Mom moved to catch full view of her slightly out-of-breath, below-bargain-basement-looking son.)

Well, they took her books and wouldn’t give them back, and when I saw her crying and all stressed out, I saw RED and got real mad. Then this something welled up inside of me. This heat just totally filled me from the inside. (Johnny paused to remember the feeling.) I never felt that way before. She yelled for help, but no one would help her. (He also remembered the statues). Then the bullies started laughing and tossing her book bag between themselves, just keeping it out of her reach. And boy, that made me even madder. Then all of a sudden, I was yelling and screaming and throwing myself into ‘em. I think I hit ‘em pretty hard, too, because they went running and never looked back. The only thing though, is that I’m kinda’ scared now of what they might do to me tomorrow. (Johnny was genuinely concerned with reaching his next birthday, which wasn't that far away.)

Well, I guess that explains the rip in your shirt. (Mom needed that point clarified and verified.)

Ah man, I’m sorry, I didn’t… (Johnny was getting more nervous, brushing at his wounds. This was the time he had most feared.)

Son, how do you feel about your actions? (Dad tried sticking a piece of shirt back into the place it was torn from.)

(Johnny exploded - again. He couldn’t hold his feelings in any longer.) I COULDN’T HELP IT! I JUST COULDN’T STAND THERE AND WATCH AMY GET TREATED THAT WAY! I mean, I HAD to do something! (Johnny’s stomach started making slipknots.) Dad, was I wrong to impose my will? Was I just supposed to stand there like everybody else and watch her get tormented? (After doing a stare down with his father, Johnny’s eyes dropped to his feet. Whenever Johnny feels perplexed, he always stares at his feet. I think he may suspect that all of his solutions begin at the grounding point between himself and the Almighty; so he instinctively starts looking there first.)

(To Johnny’s amazement, Dad said…) No. No son. I believe you did what was right and best. She asked for help, and you provided it. Although, I’m not sure whether you realized it at the time, there may have been other options, other solutions, than employing violence to create the desired outcome.

(Johnny felt low. Like he really did something wrong.)

(Dad felt this and came at it from another angle.)  Son, do you like violence?

No, I hate it. I don’t even like watching it on TV, anymore. All those cop and lawyer shows and government shows. That’s all they know is violence. 

Just like at that moment of truth with you and those bullies?

Huh? (That caught the disgusted boy off guard.)

Johnny, you hate violence, but at the moment of truth, you disregarded all other possibilities and struck off on that choice to do what you claim to hate the most. You chose violence.

Uh yeah, I guess I did. (Then Johnny gained a little inner strength.) But she needed to be saved from those idiots! And she needed it right then! 

(Dad paused for a long moment, and then spoke very gently.) Sometimes son, from our perspective, we must do what we absolutely hate to do and goes against our own truths, to stop things that must NOT be allowed to continue. That my boy, is COURAGE. (Dad could only beam at his son.)

Really? So I’m not in trouble? (Johnny looked up in shock. All of his life he’d been corrected for everything he’s ever done wrong. Never once, did he consider that his parents could also be his ALLIES. It’s a good thing they were only slipknots.)

Son, do you know the one thing that’s required for courage to happen?

Something bad to happen? 

Yep, the perception of fear. Every time fear exposes itself to us, we must summon courage to overcome it. Johnny, there comes a time in all our lives when we’re given the opportunity to do something that goes against our own principles, to stop actions that continually violate those principles. (Dad gently continued.) The decision of “what” that something is, can only be identified by those willing to violate their own beliefs to keep themselves, or another person from being denied their chance to live them. That’s the very reason why America was created in the first place, and any American who displays that characteristic is being COURAGEOUS. It took courage to go headfirst into the unknown. It’s that courage that defines who Americans are.

So, it was okay for me to hit them. (A weaker statement was never made.)

(Dad paused for a little while to see the solution. Then he followed the path back to his son’s problem.) Son, you’ve reached a point in your life where you’re recognizing your strengths. Especially your physical ones. At this time in your life, you must begin to temper your anger and rage. Because if you don’t, one day you’re going to do something you’ll regret.

I almost regret doing this. 

Johnny, courage isn’t barging in when you think you’re right. In those circumstances, you’re using your head. Courage only comes through acts of the heart. It was your heart that pulled you to her.

And at a pretty good rate of speed, judging from the result. (Mom added with a smile, while checking to make sure her whole son was standing in front of her, and no pieces were missing.)

I was mad. (Johnny stared at the floor.)

Yes, you were. And it was that thing called being mad that made you do what you did.

(Johnny lifted his head and gave his father a stern look.)

I’m not judging you, son, I’m only pointing out the objective perspective of what you’ve told me. It doesn’t take courage to fight, but it does take courage to make that choice. It also takes courage to walk away, respecting that those you’ve judged will one day find their own solutions, to their own problems. Which will in turn, empower them in a way that they never could, if you would have stepped in and helped in the first place. (Sometimes, it’s very hard to get wisdom across.)

SO I SHOULD HAVE WALKED AWAY? I SHOULD HAVE LET HER EMPOWER HER WAY OUT OF THIS CRAP ALL BY HERSELF - ONE GIRL AGAINST TWO BOYS? (Whoa. Johnny climbed to the top of his confusion tree, looked around and saw nothing but ridiculousness.)

No, son, please. You did what you did. As far as your mother and I are concerned, it was right and best. (Dad was trying to help his boy down.) Yes, other things could have been considered, but weren’t. Other avenues could have been explored, but you chose to completely block them out. (Then once he had ahold of him, he grinned.) You displayed courage to overcome your fear.

(That last line caught Johnny by surprise.)  My fear? I did it for HER fear, not mine.

Are you telling me that you didn’t fear for her safety? …her well-being? (Dad again, was looking pretty deep into his son’s eyes.)

Well, yeah, but that was her fear… (Johnny paused to consider what was just said.) I mean, I did it for her, not for me. 

Really?

(Johnny paused for a good moment to contemplate his actions.) I guess I was afraid for her. (More light started coming through.)  I guess I judged her as needing done, what I did. 

And did you ever once give consideration to your own well-being? (Dad pulled the curtain open a little further to let more light into the craft room.)

No. 

(Then pulled open the other.) How big were those boys?

(Johnny remembered them picking on Amy, and then the flash of them flying through the air.) They were bigger than me. 

Bigger than you? (Dad turned to face his son.) Each of them was bigger, yet you took them both on at once. What were you thinking? Were you crazy? (Dad’s questions belied his true feelings.)

I wasn’t thinking. It just happened. Probably if I’d a thought about it a little bit longer, maybe something else might have happened – with me, anyway. (Johnny spied a piece of raffia resting on the carpet.)

(Dad lifted up his son’s face and spoke directly to his heart.) Exactly, you didn’t think. Your heart opened up and courage sprang forth in the form of a boy-bomb called MX-Johnny. Boom. (Dad spread his hands up and out like the plume of a mushroom cloud.) You put those boys in their place. But now, you have to deal with the consequences.

I know. I have to go to school tomorrow and those 10th graders could be waiting for me… with their friends. (Johnny turned away from Dad to look out the window.) 

What are you going to do, Honey? Will you even go back to school, at all? (Mom’s voice had an unusual sound of distress to it.)

Well yeah, I have to. I got tests. (He responded quite matter-of-factly, but with a strange look, back to his mother.)

But you might be pummeled to death in an avalanche of fists and fury! (Dad followed Mom and really piled it on.)

(Johnny suddenly felt this weird feeling about his folks’ newfound concern.) Hey, I didn’t need that put into my head. What are you trying to do, scare the crap out of me? I mean, what I’m already feeling is bad enough. 

Son, what will you use to get through these fearful perceptions and expectations? (Dad was hoping enough light had shined for Johnny to see the answer.)

(Johnny blankly stared out the window, then turned to his Dad and said very confidently…) Courage. I’ll use courage to overcome my fears. (Then he thought some more.) And my courage doesn’t always have to include violence, either. (He did a little bit of his own clarification and verification.) And from now on, I’ll use violence as the last resort, not the first. 

(Great relief shown on Dad’s face.) Johnny, this is very important, and you must always remember this. To fight another person’s fight or to take on someone else’s causes, are the two greatest illusions people have about courage. Courage is not for another, it is for self – it’s for you. If you act with courage for others, not only are you guaranteed to interrupt their challenge and disempower them, you will also be taking their challenge upon yourself. It will become yours. These things, in making this choice, cannot be avoided. They will happen every time.

So, when do I know when to fight and when to walk away? 

That, you’ll have to figure out on your own. And the only way to do that is through following your heart, not your head. (Dad laid his right palm on his son’s head and shook it wildly.)

Hey! C’mon… (Johnny pulled back and reorganized his hair.) I get it. 

(Dad was so happy.) We just want you to know, that right now, your mom and I are very proud of you. It took courage to do what you did, today. And there will come other times when it will take more courage for you to walk away. And we’ll be even more proud of you then. Today, you followed your heart and didn’t care one bit about how others might be thinking of you or what they might do to you. That my boy, is courage. And it’s that very thing, of following your heart, which will make you one way or another, overcome all your fears in life. And through courage, you’ll make it happen.

(Mom wholeheartedly agrees.) Honey, what would you like for dinner tonight? Tonight is Courage Night in the old homestead and we’ll be honoring its most recent shining example – Johnny!

(Johnny thinks his folks may watch too many game shows on TV.) Uhm Mom, what I’d really like is, uhm, to know if those guys are gonna’ beat me up in the morning. (Right back to the feet.)

Son, (Dad interjected.) I have a feeling those boys won’t ever bother you again. (He turned and pointed out the window.) You see in America, instead of acting with courage and determination, people are RE-ACTING to each other, looking for social acceptance, hoping they never get ridiculed…

Or get caught! (Mom added with a laugh.)

(Dad too, had to chuckle, thinking of all the people he’s recently heard about in the news.) Son, this behavior of RE-action inevitably creates a situation where everyone else defines who everyone else is. Courage is something that can’t be defined by words, it can only be demonstrated through action and that’s something this world isn’t used to. No, I don’t think those boys will ever mess with you or courage, ever again.

Dad, (Johnny half-grinned.) I kinda’ know what you mean by consequences. I feel really good inside about what I did, but I also feel a little sick to my stomach, too. (Johnny was rubbing his tummy.)

Son, that’s how EVERYONE should feel after committing violence. (Never has there been a prouder father.)

(Mom couldn’t hold back her enthusiasm any longer.) Honey, we’ve taught you that love, peace and joy are the attributes of Heaven and when we practice them, we bring a bit of Heaven to Earth. But sometimes, we have to do exactly the OPPOSITE to make sure those things are able to exist. Fighting is not good, but sometimes it is necessary. Do you hate those boys? Do you still want to hurt them?

NO WAY! I really don’t know what made me do it in the first place. I guess I just got really angry that two guys could pick on a defenseless girl, and nobody would come to help her. They all just stood around like statues and watched. I guess I was just angry that no one cared. (Then he thought out loud.) But then, maybe they feared for their own safety and didn’t have the courage to overcome it. (Wisdom found a home.)

(Big understanding grins unconsciously formed on his folks’ faces.) 

Are you still angry? (Mom asked, beaming her love right into her son.) Do you still think badly of those children who you thought should have done something?

(The last of Johnny’s anger worked its way out.) Nah, I can see now that they probably didn’t do anything because they were afraid, not because they just wanted to see a girl get tormented. (Then Johnny’s thoughts changed to something a little closer to home.) But I am hungry, though. In fact, I’m starving! I guess all this courage stuff really brought on my appetite. (Then he turned to his mother.) Mom, I’m sorry for ripping my clothes and I’ll be more careful next time – promise. 

Honey, (Mom beamed.) this was just another lesson that God thought you were ready for, and I’d say you passed it with flying colors! Now let’s get this shirt off you and find something a little cleaner. OK? (Mom was already pulling off his torn shirt.)

Whoa, Ma! Hold on! Careful of the ears, I only have two ya’ know. (Johnny started thinking about how differently things are winding up than what he initially thought – he’s very happy:)

(Dad always likes to pass on some tidbits that kind of wrap things up.) One more thing, notice that "anger" is only one letter short of "danger." Also, the word "red" is hidden inside of danger. Try to take a moment to notice these things in your emotions, they’re all there to help you make your decisions and be who you are.

(Johnny had an idea and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and took a moment to write down all the words he could make out of the word “dangerous.” Then he exclaimed…) Hey Dad, you’re right! That’s why I saw RED and felt RAGE and made a SOUND while I RAN in ANGER only to feel SAD later, because it was DANGEROUS! 

(Then he looked down again at his list and had a revelation about men and women; and for the next few moments, he wrote down a group of words that verified it.) Hey Mom, did you know that almost every way you try to write down something about women, men show up, too? 

Honey, that seems to be a fact of life these days that women just have to put up with.

No, I mean like in the word's woman and man, or women and men, or her and he or she and he or female and male. 

Or MENopause and MENstruation? (Mom couldn’t help herself.)

Wait a minute, (Johnny visually spelled those words on the chalkboard in his mind.) “women” aren’t in any of those words, only “men” are. 

(Mom smiled.) Can’t you see the humor in it? Honey, the female encompasses the male – ours is form and yours is function. It’s our job to create and yours to demonstrate. We tell you what looks good, and you go out and build it. I think that’s the nature of things. Our language is full of these insights, and some of them you just have to laugh at.

I wonder if there are any hidden words in pizza or cake that will tell me what to eat tonight? (Johnny pondered out loud, visualizing a pizza the size of a tire on one of those huge Earth moving trucks.)

Ooh, I think broccoli might be in pizza. (Mom quipped.)

…And carrots in cake! (Dad joined in quickly.)

MOM!!… DAD!!…

           Relativity

(Two more years have passed, Johnny’s a 10th grader now and no, those boys who discovered what garbage tastes like never came back. Johnny just got home after a harrowing day at school. He’s feeling like he ran a marathon – in quicksand. Dad’s reading a book and Mom’s upstairs rummaging in the attic. Johnny kicked off his shoes, tossed his books on the couch and begged…)

Dad, why is it so easy for you to see things objectively? I always get so caught up in everything. Then it seems no matter which way I turn, I’ve got people telling me I’M the one that’s wrong and I need to see it THEIR way. (Johnny spoke as if his energy left him hours ago.)

What’s wrong, son? (Dad put down his book.)

Well… at school today we learned how to "argue.”

Debate. (Dad corrected.)

Yeah, that’s what Mrs. Wackler kept calling it, but believe me, everybody just argued. She did her best to get us all upset over "issues" like abortion and Gay-Rights. Dad, are there any gay wrongs?  (Johnny felt sure of an imminent brain freeze... and squinted.)

Johnny, (Dad reached out to his son and had Johnny sit beside him on the sofa.) what Mrs. Wackler was attempting to teach you, is that there are ALWAYS at least two sides to an argument, whenever two or more people are arguing. You don’t need to judge the issue as right or wrong initially, just look to see if you should take CONVICTION with it. The smart debater always listens first, then proceeds wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove. (Dad appears to have great experience in this “issue.”)

(Johnny felt disgusted.) Well, I couldn’t see the point of either one of those things. Both times, somewhere along the line, people always think that they have the Right or the power or whatever to be able to tell somebody ELSE how they have to live or what they can or can’t do with THEIR OWN bodies! How am I supposed to take a position knowing that?

Son, you’re beginning to learn about “relativity.” (Dad grinned with that oh-boy-its-time-to-go-on-that-spaceship-ride-again, kind of grin.) You’re learning how to compare and judge things by using opposites and insights that can only be achieved through your own awareness. (Dad pointed to Johnny’s forehead.)

What? (Something deflected that finger-delivered concept completely over Johnny’s head.)

Son, you’re no longer forcing yourself to experience things that you can think through, first. (Dad spoke slowly.) You no longer need to DO bad to KNOW what bad is. Relativity is the tool that allows you to do that. It allows you to judge between right and wrong or good and bad, by giving you the option of SEPARATING yourself from whatever just happened in your life. This defines HOW you’ll perceive “it” and then, WHAT you’ll do about “it.” Son, that’s what makes you who you are. But mostly, the only time you’ll ever understand your own judgments is after having experienced their OPPOSITES.

(Dad always likes to lay it on thick and heavy in the beginning. By doing that, he leaves the situation remaining completely up to Johnny. Sometimes Johnny’s sincere in his quest for knowledge; sometimes he’s only looking for the car keys. Will he understand? Will he go in search of someone else’s car keys? Let’s see…)

What? Dad, you lost me. I separate myself from what? I don’t have to experience what anymore? There are things I can only understand by their opposites? (Johnny was feeling like an untethered astronaut floating towards oblivion. Although, it appears he’s in search of MORE than just car keys.)

(Dad took a moment to open the door to his imagination and then tapped in.) Johnny, let’s say one day, an infinity ago, you went to sleep. Today you finally woke up. Although you’re now awake, you really can’t tell because there’s NO LIGHT anywhere. In fact it’s so dark, you can’t even see yourself. And since you’ve been asleep for such a long time, you’ve even forgotten WHAT you are! What would you do?

(Johnny really gave that a good thought.) Uhm, turn on the light? (At best, Johnny thought that was a good stab in the dark.)

Exactly. Let there be light. (Dad clapped his hands together.) Boom, then there was light. Now you can see yourself, everything that you are and everything that’s around you.

Yeah, and I’m bad. I got muscles and brains and I can squish that stupid jock Tommy Winslow with my little finger.

Uh, Johnny. (Dad cleared his throat.)

Sorry, Dad. It’s just that Tommy keeps… awe what the heck, go ahead. (He was about to say Tommy keeps hanging around his girlfriend, but that would’ve opened up a bigger can of worms than could have been fished on that day.)

(Dad paused and then asked…) Now that you can see everything, what would you do?

What else do I NEED to do? I can see everything, isn’t that enough? (Johnny responded confidently.)

(Dad grinned.) Son, if I gave you an orange and put at your disposal every kind of scientific device known to hu-mankind that would allow you to dissect that orange, prod it with probes, break down its chemicals and view ALL of its characteristics, would that be enough for you to tell me everything about it?

Well yeah, sure. Today we have the technology to do practically anything, so yeah, I’m sure that I could tell you everything about it. (Johnny felt sure of himself. ‘I may be young, but I’m no dummy’, he thought with confidence.)

Johnny, (Dad’s face broke with a warm smile.) tell me what the orange TASTES LIKE.

Huh? Tastes like? I never thoughta’ that one. (Of the two, he certainly is young.) Uhm, I can’t. I have to taste it to do that and none of this technology can do that for me. (Johnny thought about that for a moment and then re-evaluated his position.) So, I guess you’re trying to tell me that there’s more to life than just what I see and in order for me to really understand it, I may need to bite off a piece and chew on it for a while.

(At these moments, Dad isn’t sure if it’s relief or simply love that he’s feeling. Maybe they’re the same thing.) That’s right, and since you’re biting off your first piece, how would you know it was “good?”

Well, if we’re still talking about oranges, I’d say that it would be good if it was juicy and sweet and not rotten or hard as a rock. Yeah, I guess that’d be good. (Then he thought, ‘Do I have the only father who talks this way?’)

But Johnny, you’ve never had an orange before. How would you even know what good is?

(Johnny had that puzzled, off-in-the-distance look again. ‘Uh, Spaceship? Here boy.’)

(Dad took a moment to study the blank expression staring back at him.) Son, do you remember the darkness you were in before you turned on the light?

Yeah?

What would you describe it as?

Well, it was DARK. I couldn’t see anything. (Johnny pondered for a good while.) I guess that’s about it.

How did that darkness make you feel?

Well, I guess it made me feel frustrated. I wanted to see stuff and right then, I just couldn’t. I know I SHOULD BE, but I just couldn’t. It’s scary not being able to figure anything out. So it only made sense for me to turn on the light. (Again, Johnny had no idea what galaxy he and his father were rocketing towards.)

Johnny, where did you get the concept of light from? (Dad asked ever so gently.)

Well, shoot… I had to do SOMETHING to see! (‘I mean, it’s obvious, right?’)

How would you define the light?

(Johnny’s pondering lasted less than a second.) It’s bright.

What’s “bright?” (Dad felt the checkmate of logic was within thought.)

What do you mean what’s bright? IT’S bright! (Johnny was clearly becoming frustrated.)

Uh oh, can’t use the word to define the word. You know the rules. (Dad dutifully reminded his floundering wunderkind.)

Okay. Uh, bright… bright light… (Johnny was struggling.)

ERRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Can’t… (Dad blared, sounding like a game show guy.)

I know… er... uhm…(Right then, Johnny blew his fuse.) All right I DON’T KNOW! I don’t know how to define what bright is, except to say that it AIN’T DARK! (For some reason, Dad let that one slide.) It ain’t dark. (Johnny thought out loud. That one slid, too.)

(Dad just sat there and watched this million-watt light bulb glowing over his son’s head.)

(Johnny moved his eyes from the spot of pondering and just stared through his father.) 

Sometimes I have to know what something ISN’T before I can really understand what it is. (He thought out loud.) Like knowing whether the orange was good or not. Or understanding what light really is. Sometimes the only way I can understand ANYTHING, is by first understanding whatever its opposite is. And sometimes the only way to describe something, is by saying what it ISN’T. Opposites. (Johnny smiled.) Touché, Dad.

Touché, son. (Dad smiled and swiped his finger at the sky.) Johnny?

Yeah, Dad?

Who replaced the darkness with the light?

I did! (Johnny confidently replied.)

Who thought up the light?

(That one caught him off guard. He thought for a long moment, hoping he was about to give the right answer.)  Me?

Yes, son. You… and our Creator, the Original Thinker of Light. (Dad spoke now as slowly and compassionately as he ever has.) Please don’t ever forget that God created light, because it best described darkness in its most OPPOSITE state, and visa versa. It was God’s original thought of light that allows us to conceive of that same light, in our OWN darkness, and then CREATE IT.

Then like we’re partners? God and I are partners? Just like you and me, Dad, God and I are partners?

Yes, son. Like you and me… (Dad felt especially proud.) And your mother, too, I hope.

Oh yeah, can’t forget Mom! (Johnny was feeling good.)

Some folks also call this partnership, “Co-creating.” Son, God provides everything and then gives us free will to do anything with everything. This is where discipline and willingness ARE everything. It’s just the way it has to be here. That’s relativity, using opposites to best describe what’s happening. It can only happen when you separate yourself FROM whatever is happening, by judging it and then responding to it. Do you understand? (Dad was hoping – this topic can be SOOOO confusing.)

So, God created light to be partners with the dark? (The light was beginning to shine.)

Son, in relativity there CAN’T BE one without the other. Darkness can’t exist without light. Because without light, darkness is just absolutely all there is. There’s nothing else to judge it against. However, once the concept of light was thought of, the perception of darkness changed and went from one of absolute blackness forever and ever – representing all there is – to simply something that’s lacking light. Only when that concept is considered, is the conscious choice available to live in the light or where it’s lacking. And Johnny, there’s no way, in the scheme of things, that you could have ever truly known one without the other.

Okay Dad, so I don’t have to fight evil anymore? I don’t have to DEBATE over what’s right and what’s wrong anymore? I don’t need to keep pointing out to people the stupid stuff they keep doing that’s creating all the drama in their lives in the first place? I don’t have to do any of that stuff anymore? (Johnny was unsure but hoping.)

Son, opposites exist because God wants it that way. Opposites don’t exist for us to pick out the “bad” ones and then go about creating causes to destroy them. God wants us to understand His attributes, those of Responsibility, Integrity, Courage and Honor. A good way to remember them is that their first letters spell "RICH." God also wants His children to live simple, joyous lives where relativity lays the foundation. In fact, the word reality is contained within the word relativity. Without opposites son, how could you ever in your wildest dreams figure out what’s good and right over what’s evil and wrong and live that way? Relativity is the tool that makes all the gray areas disappear and produces a crystal-clear image of EXACTLY what’s happening.  (Dad stopped for a moment and then spoke with great feeling.) Son, without relativity, freedom would be CHAOS.

So, I guess relativity is like my conscience. It’s always there to remind me of WHAT I’m doing, regardless of WHY I’m doing it. (Johnny said with resolve.) It’s all about choice.

Yes, exactly! (Dad beamed.) Bad exists for us to choose good. Fear exists for us to choose courage. Opposites exist to serve its opposite, and in its own way, one defines the other. If you attempt to destroy one, you’ll surely destroy yourself. Johnny, you cannot be separated without separating yourself FIRST. You truly can’t know what’s good, until you’ve experienced what’s bad. (This was Dad’s last-ditch effort to bring in the light.)

So, do I have to DO bad, before I can do good? (Johnny kind of understood.)

Have you ever heard of the saying, “No one screws up on purpose?”

No, can’t say that I have.

It means that no one INTENTIONALLY makes mistakes. Meaning, no one goes out on purpose and screws up what they‘re trying to do and no one intentionally creates evil all by themselves, knowing that it’s evil.

(Johnny’s face was skewed like a question mark.)

I guess what I’m trying to say is… (Now Dad’s slowed way down to a snail’s crawl.) The one’s doing bad DON’T see themselves as doing bad. The one’s who perceive those actions AS bad are identified as a threat to the security of the one’s who don’t. Now… Who here are the ones doing good and who are the ones doing bad? Who’s right and who’s wrong? Or better yet, between the two, which one is MORE right?

(Dad’s words went on as Johnny’s face went ‘italics’.) Only the people who witness evil can do anything about evil. That’s where courage comes in, son. But you also need to know that nearly every time an effort is made to stamp out evil, MORE evil is being created to do it. And like Margie and her drama, most folks just aren’t aware of that. (Then added.) So therefore, it is best to not resist it.

Truth is as subjective as reality. (Johnny spoke into the air, staring back at that spot, again.)

Yes, that’s right. (The response surprised Dad.)

Uh, no. (Johnny’s consciousness returned to the present.) I heard that last night on the X-Files. Skully was telling some guy the truth about something she saw, then the guy laughed and said, “Young lady, truth is as subjective as reality.” I didn’t know what he meant then, but I sure do now. The truth is whatever anyone claims it to be and it doesn’t matter whether or not it makes a bit of sense to me or if they can PROVE it. (Johnny felt some weight being lifted from his shoulders.)

(Dad was witnessing the growth of his son, right before his eyes.) Absolutely, and RESPECT those truths as their truths, just like you would want others to respect yours. Don’t ever attempt to change another person’s truth, you’ll NEVER do it. Truths exist to be lived, not proven. Learn the art of listening. If you need to say something, STATE A QUESTION, instead of making a statement. Son, more people are apt to play along if they don’t consider you an enemy. And besides, only God determines when people are to wake up and not a minute earlier will you or I make that happen. (Dad paused with a simple grin.) Johnny, do you now understand what I mean by relativity?

Yeah, I think so. Relativity shows me that good and evil are opposites, along with courage and fear. But they only exist for me to choose from, not to fight against because I’m “right.” Which basically shows that it’s not necessarily okay for me to create violence in order to stop it. Uh let’s see, what else… oh yeah, relativity lets me live my life through simple choices, like “either, or.” Either I choose the light, or I choose the dark. And finally, I guess although everyone may have a truth about what’s good and what’s bad, I need to respect those truths as much as I respect mine.

(Johnny began seeing all those things HE DID that created most of the anger in his life. He was finally realizing that a large amount of his frustration was caused by him trying to change everyone else into thinking like he did – the right way. Johnny knows best. ‘Well, Johnny doesn’t know best.’ He reminded himself.)

(Dad responded with pure joy!) Absolutely! And please remember son, just because you can now see “completely new truths,” doesn’t mean you’ve somehow gained the Right to go up to the other children and MAKE them see those truths, too. I can’t stress that enough. Don’t ever think that you know better and have the Right to impose yourself. That’s the surest way to make a mistake. Those who want to know will come and ask. Believe me, we are what we eat and we are what we DO. Relativity always lets us know what we are doing.

But Dad, you still haven’t answered my question. Where am I supposed to STAND on issues like abortion and Gay-Rights, knowing that I don’t have the Right to make anybody do anything? (Johnny prepared himself for the all-knowing, all-powerful answer.)

On your own two feet. (Dad said matter-of-factly, then he opened back up his own personalized, signed hard cover copy of Richard Bach’s Illusions.) Now where was I?

           Love

(Two more years have passed and Johnny finds himself ready to graduate from high school. It’s finals week and because of his studiousness, he arrived home a little earlier today than expected. As he opens the door, he hears Dan Fogelberg’s Part of the Plan POUNDING out of the stereo.)

(Johnny tries to communicate above the tunes.) Mom, Dad I’m home! Hey, where are you? I got an ‘A’ on my biology test yesterday and an ‘A+’ on my psyche test today! (He’s looking throughout the downstairs.) I only have math tomorrow and that should be a breeze! I figure my grade point average will be around a 4.1, so… (He suddenly heard a thumping noise upstairs and figured they must be up to something. As he walked up the stairs, he continued saying…) I should be able to go… (Johnny was stunned to see his folks PACKING.) anywhere. What’s…? 

Your Sister Barbara will like this. (Mom whispered to Dad, not noticing Johnny standing in the doorway.)

(Johnny made his presence known.) Hey, what’s goin’ on? Are we goin’ on a trip? Right on! Where we goin’? (Johnny felt this HAD to be his gift for being such a good student all these years.)

(Both parents needed a moment for their wits to return and Mom said…) Honey, you startled us. We didn’t expect you to be home so soon.

Well, that’s it, right? I mean, WE’RE going on a ‘thank you Johnny for being such a great kid’ vacation, right? (Johnny hasn’t been this excited since he got his first bike.)

(Dad kind of cleared his throat and asked…) Son, do you remember a long time ago when we had the conversation about win-win situations and imposing will? Remember when I knelt down and destroyed your rice paper?

Well yeah, sure. That was a long time ago. (Johnny began feeling uneasy.)

Son, it was then that I first spoke to you about our responsibility to you as parents. Our primary job was to prepare you for this world, so when the day came for you to head out into it, you would have with you the tools necessary for you to not only survive, but THRIVE in it.

Yeah… but I’m not going anywhere right now. (Johnny did not like where this was going.)

But Honey, you are. (Mom spoke softly.) You’re going out into the world to change things for the better.

Wait a minute, (Johnny figured it out.) you guys are leaving ME! (Now he was obviously shaken.)

Let’s all go downstairs and talk about this calmly. Please. (Dad put his arm around Mom and headed downstairs to the couch.)

(Johnny can’t remember the last time his knees wouldn’t bend to allow him to walk downstairs.) Mom, Dad, I don’t want you to go. (Life energy was leaking from Johnny, just like water through the cracks in a dam.)

(Dad turned off the stereo.)

Honey, please come sit down here. (Mom tapped on the couch.)

Mom, I’m scared. (Johnny nervously took his place.)

Son, what’s your grade point average, again?

Over 4. (Once again, Johnny retreated to the welcome solace of his feet.)

What schools have rejected your applications? (Dad pressed.)

Well, none. They ALL want me! (Johnny could only shake his head in disbelief.)

Outside of the fact that your mom and I are leaving, is there anything in your life that you cannot have or obtain with a little work? (Time to get serious.)

Uhm, no. I think I can do just about everything I set my mind to. (Johnny shrugged, still staring at those size ten and a halves.)

Well then, if that’s the case, your mother and I have done EXACTLY what we intended to do and now it’s time to go, so you can do what you are intended to do. (Dad spoke in that “knowing” tone.)

AND WHAT’S THAT? (Johnny cried out with a broken heart. The leaks are getting worse.)

(Dad really felt Johnny’s frustration and despair.) Son, do you feel connected to the world outside of you?

NO! THE AIR STINKS, THE WATER STINKS AND SO DO MOST OF THE PEOPLE! (Uh oh. Dam broke.) Everybody’s angry and uses me like I’m a bum or something. I don’t feel appreciated for the things I do and frankly I don’t know why I keep doing them. Then to make things worse, whenever I do what I think I need to do, someone’s always there laying a guilt trip on me because I didn’t do what THEY wanted me to do or say or whatever. It’s like they own me. I WANT TO GO WITH YOU! THIS MESSED UP WORLD CERTAINLY DOESN’T NEED ME TO KEEP IT GOING! (Johnny never felt worse in his whole life.) I’ve done my best to keep all this inside, but now you’re leaving… WHY?! 

(Johnny‘s tears made a beeline for the floor.) Why are you leaving me here to face this world alone? Don’t you love me anymore? People are lying to me every day, just trying to get me to do stuff for ‘em. Even my friends have deceived me. Why? WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO LEARN ALL THIS CRAP WHEN THERE’S NOT A DARN THING I CAN DO ABOUT IT? NOBODY’S LISTENING! All I seem to be feeling is everybody else’s pain and misery. And I’m sick of it! 

(Johnny paused for a moment to dry his eyes and clear his throat.) You know, if I didn’t know all this stuff, I’ll bet my life would be a whole lot EASIER. I mean look at my classmates. Yes, there are some who’ll make outstanding citizens, but most of ‘em would be happy just living off of welfare and you know, they don’t even care. They think they’ll be working the rest of their lives to pay off your generation’s debt and cover all the old folks’ social security checks. Where’s the motivation to do ANYTHING in that? 

(Here comes the dam damage.) Your generation has made us responsible for stuff that we DIDN’T EVEN CREATE and now you want everything WE MAKE to fix YOUR problems! Does your generation think we’re stupid? Why should we even try to care? I mean, what kind of future do we have that has nothing but debt and more work in it for us and we get zip to show for it? Your generation took away our inheritance and yet you keep hammerin’ us about our responsibilities. WHAT ABOUT YOURS? People are always talking about responsibility, but nobody and I mean NO BODY ever wants to accept it. 

(Johnny wiped his runny nose with his forearm.) But me? No, I HAVE TO. I ALWAYS have to be responsible. I ALWAYS have to do the right thing. I can’t have any excuses that let ME be irresponsible and not care, uh uh, no sir, I ALWAYS have to care. I ALWAYS have to work for everything I get. I ALWAYS have to be the one to come up with the answers. I NEVER get to be lazy and sit back and watch other people do stuff for me! (Whew!)

(Johnny was dangling at the end of his rope.) Why are things always so tough for me, Dad? Why can’t I just be a happy idiot? Why can’t people always be there to GIVE ME stuff and do stuff FOR ME? I don’t get it… and now, you’re leaving. I just don’t get it. What’s there to even care about at all? (Johnny put his shaking head in his hands and really cried.)

(It always broke Mom’s heart to see her son crying, so she started crying, too. Far be it from Mom to ever let ANYONE cry alone.)

(Dad’s heart was also broken. Although he wasn’t quite sure how he was going to handle their leaving, he’s certain that if he had the choice, it wouldn’t be this way.) Son, deep down I think you know why you can’t have people doing things for you and giving things to you that you haven’t earned. Deep down I think you know why you always have to be responsible and do the right thing. We love you with all our hearts, son, and one day you may realize that you were actually given much MORE than any other child and at that moment, thank God for your wisdom. There may also come a day when you realize that you can do practically everything, all by yourself. On that day, thank YOU for having done everything in your life FOR YOU, instead of against others, and then thank God for the simple and easy life that you’ve created for yourself – by not needing to rely on anyone else than you and our Father in Heaven to succeed in life. (Although Dad was compassionate, he was firm.)

(Johnny could only manage an upward stare at his father. He’s feeling like his entire world is crumbling around him and there isn’t a darn thing he can do about it… again. It cracked. It broke. The reservoir emptied. There is nothing left, but wasteland.)

(Dad related to his boy’s incredible despair.) Son, imagine the frustration that people feel when they can’t even make it on their own. Imagine what it must feel like to exist with everyone else holding onto your power. Imagine the fear, frustration and intolerance. Son, you cannot completely know the light, without having lived in the dark. You have NO IDEA of your power until you use that light to remove yourself from the darkness. Remember relativity? It’s all about choice. (Dad was praying very hard that Johnny would understand, because time was coming to an end and this lesson was the most important one of Johnny’s life… so far.)

Relativity? Yeah, right now it’s telling me that this moment stinks. It’s showing me that my life is crumbling all around me and there’s nothing I can do about it. And as far as me having a CHOICE goes? Well, I don’t seem to have much of one here. Yeah Dad, I remember relativity and right now I’d just as soon forget it. Where’s the light, Dad? Where’s MY happiness? (Johnny’s adrift in the sea of hopelessness. The only thing he sees is darkness and more darkness and he has no idea which way he needs to turn or where he needs to go to get out of it. On top of that, nearly all of the limited happiness that his self-proclaimed insignificant life has in it is about to leave him. Woe is Johnny:(

The light and happiness you’re looking for son are INSIDE of you. It’s up to YOU to create them. (Dad pointed to his son’s chest.)

So I’m supposed to act happy that you’re leaving? (Johnny exploded.) I’M SUPPOSED TO SING "LA-LA-LA-LA-LA" AND DANCE ALONG MY MERRY WAY NOW THAT EVERYTHING’S FALLING APART? I’m supposed to be emotionally OBLIVIOUS to this and act like NOTHING’S happening?! 

(Oh boy, does Dad remember THAT look.)

No son, right now I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do, but I do know that all the darkness in your life is there because you can’t find any light or happiness OUTSIDE of you to replace it with. I know, I’ve been there - done that. I used to take care of everyone, because it made them happy, which made me happy. WRONG. I used to take care of everyone else first and treat myself as a second-class citizen in order to do it. This made me feel worthwhile and needed and it made me a better person. ERRR, WRONG! I used to put everyone else’s needs first, sacrificing my own. That made me the person that God wanted me to be. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Let me save you a few years here. All of these people existed outside of me and whenever I based MY feelings upon THEIR reactions, THEY had the power to MAKE ME happy or angry. I used to think it was the other way around, but I was wrong. It took me a long time to figure that out. Son, right now you’re looking at everything outside of you and judging it as darkness, just as I did.

Well, there’s not a whole lot of light happening out there right now. (Johnny mumbled back.)

Which is my point. At this moment in your life, you must realize that the darkness, which exists in your life, YOU CREATED - same goes with the light. The darkness outside of you that you’re experiencing isn’t really being given to you; it’s just being itself WITH YOU. You’re just identifying with it. Same goes with peace and joy and anger and frustration. It’s selfish to think that everything you think you’re receiving is actually being done to you. A much more enlightened perspective is to think of it as YOU chose to connect into THEM. You chose to connect into THEIR joys and sorrows, THEIR dramas and truths. From that perspective Johnny, you can create a choice to disconnect from them, if you want. (The look on Dad’s face was pure understanding.)

So how do I do it? How do I disconnect myself and NOT feel like an uncaring, unfeeling idiot? How do I NOT react to the insanity anymore? How do I find the light, Dad? (Johnny’s drained, he has no more. Never before has he ever felt such "alone-ness.")

Son, a very, VERY long time ago when I was a young adult, like you, I had the same feelings that you do right now. I cried to my Dad about all the insanity in the world. I felt so frustrated because no one would listen to me. I tried to make people listen, but that only made things worse. I felt like an outcast – just like you. So I’m going to do for you, what my Dad did for me. He sat me down and told me this story:

       There once was a man who was smarter than every other man alive – he knew it all. He had a knack for seeing the overall picture of things, without getting caught up in the details. And he knew that at times, things may have to go left, in order to get going right.

       You see, this man had an idea that would change the entire world and bring peace to us all, finally. Except, it required radically changing the way things were. This brought much resistance. He argued with government and neighbor alike. He couldn’t understand why everyone didn’t see his vision. “Are they stupid? Do they want to intentionally live in ignorance for the rest of their lives?” The man often wondered.

       Then one day, the smart man couldn’t take it any longer and he attempted to force his views upon the people by giving them a demonstration of his idea. The idea was so radical, so unknown that it frightened the people half to death. Since no one else knew what was going to happen, they did the only sensible thing – they killed the man AND his idea. The townspeople then dismantled the concept and threw it away, feeling certain they had made the correct and safe choice.

        By now, the smart man was standing at the Pearly Gates and he was profoundly confused. When Peter opened The Gates, the man immediately asked Him “Why did they kill me? My idea was so smart.”

       Peter responded, “They were not ready for smart yet, only you were.”

       “But…” The man retorted, “Was I supposed to live in this splendor and paradise alone? Was I supposed to keep this all to myself and not share it with my neighbors? Wouldn’t the adoption of my idea have made the Earth a better place to live?”

       Peter responded with great compassion. “Sir, God gave you this idea so YOU could make it come true. Once you did, people would see what you have done and then ask you how you did it. Within a short time, everyone would have accepted your idea with joy. They would have seen you demonstrating it on yourself and that would have removed all their fears. But in lieu of this choice, you chose to force your idea upon THEM, without proof or history. You tried to make them see something that they were not ready to see. So, they reacted just as Nature would whenever She is threatened – with survival instincts.”

       “So, what do I do now?” The smart man seemed puzzled. “What do I do with all that I know?”

       “Have you not learned, yet?” Peter asked. “Even though you are no longer on Earth, you still need to demonstrate it. Otherwise, God will not know that you know anything.”

       Well, about that time Peter motioned to the smart man to look through the clouds, down to the town that checked him out. He saw people holding hands, encircling something and singing songs about the miracle of it. Just then, the man realized that the townspeople were enshrining a statue of HIM, giving great thanks for his tremendous foresight and begging universal forgiveness for the actions of their ignorant ancestors.

       The man, feeling tremendously overwhelmed with compassion and empathy began sobbing uncontrollably and forgave them of their sins upon him. In a flash, he realized it was HE who created all the resistance in his life. It was HE who imposed his unwelcomed will. It was HE who thought that he knew better. It was HE who did unto himself, NOT the townspeople.

At that very instant, Peter waived his hand and sent the smart man back, not to his time, but to the more recent one. Peter knew the smart man had learned his lesson about what he needs to do; now he just needs a good opportunity to do it.

(Dad paused for a moment, then asked…) Johnny, does that help you out any?

(Johnny thought for a long while about what he had just heard. He sees a lot of himself in the smart man.) Yeah Dad, it sure does. It helps me to see all the things that I’ve been doin’ to everybody else, just ‘cause I thought that they needed it or maybe should know it. Maybe the ones who haven’t told me to shut up are just being kind to me. But what do I do about the ones who constantly impose on ME? What do I do about those people who are just too blind to see and just too doggone ignorant to wake up to the fact that THEY’RE the ones causing all this craziness? How do I keep calm and NOT try to beat some sense into THEM? (Johnny pointed out the window.)

Son, do you remember the stories of a man called Jesus? (It’s important to Dad that Johnny not have to pound sense into anybody and besides, these are Dad’s favorite stories.)

Yes. He was love. (Johnny remembers the stories; he likes them, too.)

Exactly, HE IS LOVE. No matter what situation arose; no matter what person was attempting to tell Him who He was not; no matter how many unbelievers or harmful people came across His path, Jesus chose to be love. He did not react with love; He took the first courageous step and displayed love, by BEING love. Do you understand?

Yeah, no matter what happened or who He met, Jesus acted as love. (Johnny sat up a little straighter.)

In every case, do you think Jesus could have acted in any other way?

Well, sure. He had free will just like us, but He always chose to be love, even to the point where they thought that they killed Him. (Johnny thought about his words for a minute.) Wow, He always chose to be love. (Johnny’s sadness got temporarily sidetracked with this new bit of knowing.)

Johnny that is your purpose. Our purpose was to prepare you for this moment and your purpose is to LOVE EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE, from this moment on. (Dad’s smile is brimming from ear to ear.) The instant you let go of the unknown future and regretful past, not to mention the intolerable present, you’ll arrive in the "now" of love. There’s really no other place to go. No longer will you consider whether or not you’re being appreciated, you’ll simply serve and move on. No longer will a regretful past drive your fear-based future. No longer will you be moved through life by the imposed guilt of others. No longer will you live OUTSIDE of God. Very few people know of this place, Johnny.

(Dad was getting excited.) Your purpose is to transmute your “dysfunctionalities” (Dad did the thing with his fingers, again.) into something that functions, within the system. It’s all about INTEGRATION. Your purpose is to change fear into love. Not for everyone else to see, but as an OPPORTUNITY for you to be COURAGEOUS and do it first. That’s why this world was created my boy; it was created to give you an opportunity to demonstrate to God that you’ve remembered Who You Are. (Dad touched his boy’s chin and lifted slightly. Then he stared directly through the windows into his son’s soul.)

(Johnny got back on track.) Okay, so let me see if I’ve got this straight – no matter what comes into my life, I’m supposed to react… no not re-act, ACT with love. Even if somebody wants to crucify me, right? (Johnny was fishing again.)

Only if you choose to, son. Remember, LOVE IS NOT A DOORMAT. Sometimes we have to do what we hate the most, in order to be able to keep doing what we believe to be right. Responsibility is your ability to be responsible in a grown-up fashion. Would this not be a better world if you were still here being responsible, than in some other dimension running away in fear of this one? Common Law son, the Law of Nature; what will the badger do to an uninvited hand being shoved into its home? Will it lick it or bite it? (Dad started "chewing up" Johnny’s face with his hand.)

(Johnny fended off Dad’s Godzilla-style teaching tactics quite admirably.) I see. I can defend myself, because God gave me the Right to be here. I DON’T have the Right to impose on anyone else, but I DO have the right to live. ‘Even though I’m not so sure I really want to.’ (Johnny’s feeling pretty depressed about their leaving.)

Honey, (Mom had to add some needed sunshine.) we love you so very much. I know it may be difficult for you to understand me right now, but there are other places, other dimensions where we also exist – we’re always together in those places. Sometimes our eyes can’t see that truth and our ears can’t hear it, but please know that we’ll always be with you. Honey, you’re about to change the face of this world through the simple demonstration of being love. (Mom couldn’t believe the moment was already here.)

Okay, Mom. (Johnny gazed up to his mother’s beaming face. The profundity of the moment slipped by like a thief in the night. Johnny could only look into his mother’s eyes and know that at times she’d been firm, but at NO TIME was she anything but a living example of love.)

Johnny, (Dad calmly added.) the last words I need to say are, love the moment like it’s your last… or your first. Because it is. Each moment can bring a new beginning, causing the last moment to end. You’ll never see it again. But you will be entering into a brand-new moment, one with limitless possibilities, unless you choose to limit it to a simple reaction to a past that you want to forget or a future that you can’t bear to think of. These are your choices. Many times, you may find yourself lost in the darkness of drama, where fear and frustration are everywhere. In those times, you must remember that that’s just the way YOU’RE seeing it. Your reactions are solely based upon that "perceived" reality. The "actual" reality may be something quite different and most of the time, it is. Your perceptions define the world you live in and HOW you act within it, defines who you are.

(Dad was on a roll.) It’s easy to blame the world for your anger. It’s easy to point your finger at ignorance and tell it to smarten up. It’s easy to get frustrated. But Johnny, all that anger and frustration you’re witnessing is actually YOU displaying it. These things can only exist when you IDENTIFY with them and then rationalize them into being. Then of course, there’s the demonstration step that follows, letting the whole world see what anger really looks like. Son, everything in the world that you identify with exists within you. If it’s something that you really want to fix, start looking there first. 

(Dad gazed up to that spot of pondering.) My best friend told me a long time ago "Getting angry only proves to God that once again, we’re too stupid to work it out in our own heads." (Dad couldn’t contain his smile.) Now that’s a good friend.

(Johnny managed a half-smile, not wanting to give away any of the dissatisfaction he was doing his best to show. Then he re-placed his head in his hands.)

And how do you work it out in your head, you may ask? (Dad’s trying his best to keep things upbeat.) Know that YOU CREATE ALL OF THE JOY IN YOUR LIFE and nothing outside of you can ever create it for you. It’s easy to see drama and then claim to live in the darkness. But once you try, you‘ll find it’s just as easy to see the JOY and then claim to live in the light! It just takes practice. Too often people look for sympathy, instead of the good in others. Find something POSITIVE within you, then do it; see something positive in others, then tell them what it is. Do something that makes you smile and be joyful. We know the world may going through misery, but we don’t have to add to it. We can show it another way.

And how do I do that? (Johnny mumbled into his hands.)

Find some way to express yourself that’s opposite of the way you’re feeling. Like, write a happy story, jump for joy, laugh. And if you think that’s impossible, stop what you’re doing and say, "I AM NOW. I AM NOW." out loud, a million times if you have to. Doing that will let you step out of that drama and re-mind you of your perceptions. From there, it’s easy to replace those judgments with love.

(Johnny lifted his head and stared at his father’s face.) Uhm Dad, if I say that out loud, won’t I look like an idiot? 

Sometimes son, you have to hear your own thoughts to really understand what they’re saying.

(Johnny dropped his head back into those familiar palms.) I just don’t know. I’m just so frustrated with everything, I just want to run away and hide. Nothing and I mean NOTHING is going my way. (Johnny was shrinking fast.)

Son, most frustration is created because things are happening that we don’t want to happen. Many of these things are outside of our control, meaning we can’t do a darn thing about them, anyway. When you’re in "the now", you’re living in YOUR moment of love, experiencing your OWN joy, not someone else’s drama. Right here, right now is where ALL of your power exists. Only in "the now" can you actually do anything. Whenever you’re in a frame of mind when you’re dwelling on past frustrations or worrying over problems to come or enraged because you just can’t stand the way things are, you’re living outside of your "now." You have no power there. IT’S THERE WE BECOME VICTIMS. Remember the game of love son - pass the test. Win the game and get your "Stripe."

My stripe? (Johnny perked up.)

Yes, your Stripe. It’s the Stripe of Remembrance. So very few have gotten it, because so many have for-gotten it. (Dad inflected.)

So all I have to do is be a living example of love by living in my "now" and I get this stripe?  (Johnny suddenly imagined a multi-colored zebra and became quite puzzled.)

Yep, that’s it. (Dad was well pleased with his son’s newfound understanding.) Johnny, don’t be concerned with the material world, unless IT defines who you are. And don’t be concerned with other people’s thoughts, unless THEY define who you are. Very soon this world is going to need as many light bearers as it can get and your purpose is to make it happen by simply BEING who you are… and that’s really all you can be. (Dad said in a very understanding way.)

Love. I am Love, just like Jesus was Love. My purpose is to BE LOVE. (Johnny could only think of the future bank loans and bills and whether or not he was really prepared for the world that was coming at him like a runaway tsunami.)

Yes, son. Love everything - even THOSE things. (Dad whispered.)

(Suddenly, Johnny recognized something he’d been looking at all of his life, but was never AWARE of. The look he gave to his father confirmed it.)

(Dad looked back with incredible compassion.) Now do you understand why you first had to learn of darkness and all of its ramifications, before you could light it up with your OWN light? You carry with you the power TO LOVE. That my boy is the ultimate power, it brings out the ultimate light. Be who you are in every minute of everyday, with every person in every way. (Dad spoke with great joy in his heart.)

How Dad? How do I love those people who want to hurt me? What about all the people who would do things to me that I would NEVER do to them?(Johnny thought for a second.) And what about all the people who impose on me, Dad? How am I supposed to love someone that’s just too stupid to know what they’re doing?(Johnny’s face showed his purest quest – innocence.)

Son, every person and every thing on your path that gets you angry is there for you to love. I know that sounds incredibly simplistic, but it’s the truth.

Everybody? 

Yep, and they’re all there to show you areas within yourself that you need to work on. The day you come to love everyone, is the day you’ll truly understand these words.

And come to love yourself. (Mom pointed out.)

I don’t know, Dad. People can do some pretty awful things. How can I love ‘em when I know that? 

Okay, let’s think for a minute. What is it that motivates people to do what they do?

Money. 

Okay, what else?

I’m not sure there is anything else. 

C’mon Johnny, things aren’t that bad… yet. (That answer kind of surprised the ol’ man.)

Okay. Uhm, safety… personal safety… security… bosses… hunger…uhm, strict parents that really do punish ya’ when they say they will… I don’t know, stuff like that. (Johnny was again looking off into the distance.)

So would it be safe to say that people do what people do for their own selfish reasons? (Again Dad was looking for the light that he knew was there.)

Yeah, I guess so. Boy, it sure does seem like nobody does nothin’ nowadays, unless there’s somethin’ in it for them. (Johnny was attending Humanities 101).

Son, very few people on this Earth are motivated outside of their own wants and needs. Almost no one considers the needs of others without wondering if what they’re about to do will help them out, too. That’s human nature. So from that, we can basically say that people are acting out for their own best interests. The fact that they may have lied to you or deceived you really isn’t the heart of the issue here - WHO THEY ARE is. (Dad likes to keep things calm.)

But they did lie to me! (Sometimes it works.) They did deceive me and take my stuff!(It’s a long story, but needless to say Johnny had something that certain people wanted and they did what was necessary to get it.)

(Now it’s getting a bit touchy for Dad. He loves his son dearly, but there is no better time to learn about the responsible life, than right now.) Johnny, it’s easy to point your finger and say “You did this to me.” When in fact, they were merely being who they are and you allowed yourself to get caught up into THEIR world. In your world deception doesn’t exist. In their world, it does.Please realize that if someone is attempting to deceive you, they’re merely BEING deception. They may tell you otherwise, but now you know better. If someone runs up to you and kisses you on the cheek, they’re BEING LOVE, because they’re doing it. Son, people can claim to be anything they want to be, but it’s what you do that defines who you’re being.

(Dad again stared deeply into his son’s eyes.) Now it may appear that these people went out of their way to sucker you in, take advantage of you and steal your stuff, but I can assure you, they don’t see it that way. So before you begin arguing who’s right and who’s wrong here, just recognize that although it appears these things were done TO you, take one step back and see it as they were actually just being themselves, expressing who they are, WITH YOU. With you. Now you have a choice… and a responsibility.

A responsibility? (‘Aw man, how much worse can it get?’)

(Dad knew he was treading mighty heavily.) Son, until you recognize your responsibilities, you’ll always see yourself as a victim. You’ll always blame others for your misfortunes. Then you’ll argue with anyone to make them listen to your truth. And what happens when they won’t listen? Will you resist and fight them in an attempt to compare yourselves and make them finally see your truth? Will you simply recognize them for who they are and then let them live as who they are, realizing that nothing they say or do casts any reflection upon you? Or son, will you create the worst case scenario by judging them for who they are, then going about forcing them to realize who they are, except this time through YOUR EYES, by imposing yourself when you’ve found enough power to make them witness your truth?

Uhm, I’ll take the second one. (Johnny felt very small.)

Son, the things that you’re aware of are GOOD ENOUGH. It’s enough that YOU know them. It’s enough that you live them. Don’t create resistance in your life by attempting to change things to make them the way they should be, unless of course, you’re changing yourself. Always remember, God’s in charge. And forgive those people who’ve wronged you, but don’t ever forget. Otherwise you’ll have to go through the lesson all over again and I don’t think you want to do that.

No sir. 

Remember son, Jesus never went to Rome to change Caesar’s way of thinking. Love everyone and everything by recognizing that “it” is whatever “it” is and “it” is NOT doing unto you. “It” is merely being “its” self WITH YOU. “It” doesn’t know any better. (Dad just smiled at his wonderful boy.) Now it’s up to you to figure “it” out.

So the jerks that like to pick on me, I’m supposed to love them? The idiots, who like to use me like I’m yesterday’s newspaper, I’m supposed to love them, too? (Johnny was doing his best to work out the kinks.)

I know it’s the pits to be used and hurt, but you have to see that you put yourself in that position. Some way or another, you thought you could save someone by giving away your self. Can’t do that. Johnny all these people exist in your life to teach you about self-confidence and self-respect and once you understand these things, you’ll finally realize that you ARE worth fighting for. (Dad was quite pleased with his son’s attention.)

But they don’t have any self-respect. (Johnny could only see jerks playing out their roles in his rear view mirror.)

Exactly. They’re making YOU have it, by making you CREATE IT. The same with self-confidence, because until you show it, you don’t know it. (Dad’s energy began to build.)

But, how can I forgive them? Some have been so mean to me. (That rear view mirror is a loser.)

(Dad slowed way down. Things were getting rather important.) Son, I found that every person who’s ever made me mad as hell; everyone who I thought used and abused me; every one of them taught me something about myself. They all helped me to put my feet on a path that I was unwilling to take voluntarily. They all helped me to see something that I was “blind” to and allowed me to empower myself to become a better person. Am I talking about becoming a doormat? No, absolutely not. But strangely enough, I did finally realize that those specific people were the ONLY ones who could’ve gotten me that mad and helped me out in that specific way. That’s love if you think about it. Forgive them son, and don’t ever forget - they may first appear as someone less than desirable to you, but in the end they’re going to help you. So, be careful of your judgments. By learning from your experiences, you’ll be able to confidently determine whether it’s raining out or whether it’s some dog using you like a fire hydrant.

(Johnny was feeling much better now. He was no longer feeling like a victim, like he had no control over what was happening. He started realizing that although the world may be going downhill fast, his wasn’t. He still didn’t like the fact that his folks are leaving, but things didn’t seem as bleak as they once did. I think he’s beginning to find his own light.) Are you guys gonna’ hit the beach or head up to the mountains? 

Honey, I think we’re going to build an Earthship somewhere in Colorado and experience the joy of growing rocky mountain bananas. (Mom smiled eternally.)

Or maybe buy a spread in Missouri and raise a few buffalo and kangaroos. (Dad added.)

(Mom spoke with tears in her eyes.) Honey, we love you with all our hearts and although we may not be “here” any longer, set a place for us at the table whenever you want us to be.

(Dad reached over to a box and opened it.) Here son, these are for you.

(Johnny pulled it open and was blown away.) Wow, it’s your RECORD COLLECTION! (Johnny immediately began fumbling through them.) Whoa! Dan Fogelberg, Kansas, Cat Stevens, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Yes, Seals and Crofts, Carol King, The Moody Blues, Three Dog Night, Triumph, Jackson Browne, The Police, Styx, John Denver… RUSH! (These were the groups that 

Johnny grew up with. They may be slightly outdated, but their messages and music are always right on time.)

Listen to them closely, son.  In those songs you’ll find the wisdom of life and at times, you may even think that some of those songs were actually written just for you. (Dad reached over to touch the hand of his at-times wayward son.)

(A knock on the door signaled the arrival of “the movers.”) Well, they’re here. I guess it’s time to go. (Dad said with jittery lips, taking one last long look at his most special boy, while heading for the door.)

Let’s see… (Mom tapped her chin.) Did I forget anything? (Then she reached out and gave her boy a hug only a mom could give.) 

(While opening the door, Dad blindly commented…) Honey, you’re always saying that! You know you can’t take any of this stuff with you. (Then Dad turned and noticed.) Oh. I want one, too. 

(Oops.)

(Dad gazed into Johnny’s eyes, and then stepped back from his pride and joy.) Son, you take care of yourself and please remember, you’re NOT separate from anything. The evil you witness out there can only exist if it’s within you. Those demons are YOUR demons. They are YOU. You created them to show yourself that there’s still more of YOU to love, which will help you to remember Who You Are. And finally, you may not realize this until you get back, but every single person who crosses your path on this side, you know on the other side. (Dad looked like he was hitchhiking.) And you know them all by name. Especially the ones who get you the angriest - they’re your BEST friends. (Dad had a huge grin on his face.)

(Mom added.) They’re all here to get you to where you’re going Honey, so please be kind and patient with them. After all, that’s what love is.

But Mom, Dad what about the house, the bills… all this stuff? What do I do? (Johnny seemed clueless.)

We were just getting to that. (Dad looked around and pointed.) Son, it’s all been put in your name. Now that you’re 18, you’re the legal owner of everything on this property to do with as you see fit. All the money in the bank is now in your account. It’s not much, but it’ll help get you started. Everyone’s been contacted that’s needed to be and everything’s laid out on the table that needs to be taken care of. This is what my parents did for me.

(Dad paused briefly, taking one last look around.) The decision is yours now, son. You have within you the power to heal and the power to destroy. Through your choices you can succeed or claim to be a victim; you can make the light as you go or wallow in the misery of the darkness all around you. We’ve lived here a very long time you know, so please consider your choices wisely.

(Dad sure was reluctant to leave his son at such a young age, but he knew this was the agreement. And besides, he’s quite aware of the miracles that his son is going to perform.)

(Mom spoke with ultimate love in her voice.) Honey, LOVE EVERYONE. Don’t wait for someone else to show you, start right now. Rest in the cradle of love and trust that God will hold you. Please don’t let others get to you. People are who they are and none of them cast a single shadow upon you, because YOU ARE THE LIGHT. You’re the light, Honey. Let it shine. (Mom gave her son one last hug and kiss.)

("The movers" then motioned and a spark of light appeared within each parent. The sparks gathered quickly in their midsections and formed into beautiful, glowing orbs, which suddenly became so bright that Johnny had to close his eyes. For the first time in his life, he began to understand it all. As the rush of energy swirled around him, Johnny could only blindly waive and wonder what was in store for him. A moment later, he was startled when the doorbell rang - again. He squinted his eyes open and noticed everyone was gone. Then clearing his tears, he opened the door and to his amazement there was…)

Amy. What are you doing here? 

(Johnny suspects the journey in front of him will be full of trials and tests and showing love may be difficult. But he quietly gave thanks and his utmost appreciation to God, for giving him such an easy and joyous FIRST opportunity.)

           Spirit

(That night, Johnny had a dream he’d not soon forget. He found himself in a cloud and around him were snow-covered mountains and rainbow waterfalls and golden aspen trees and buffalo and kangaroos? Just then he looked up to see…)

MOM!! DAD!! (He threw himself into their waiting arms.) Wow, it’s only been a few hours and I REALLY miss you guys’ bad. Can’t you come back for a little while longer… like 60 or 70 years? (Johnny was always good at achieving that poor puppy dog look.) Please? 

Oh Honey, you’re so handsome and smart. You’re going to do so well for yourself. (Then Mom whispered…) You’re going to be famous, you know.

HEY! (Dad bellowed.) You know that stuff’s CLASSIFIED.

Oh babe, when will you ever lighten up? (Mom laughed.) Honey, there’s a few things we forgot to tell you. (Mom spun to look at Dad.) Don’t worry, I won’t say anything classified. (Then she turned back to Johnny.) ALL SOLUTIONS BEGIN IN THE IMAGINATION. First close your eyes and imagine what’s causing your problems or pain. See yourself in it clearly, that’s important. Then imagine yourself doing something SIMPLE that fixes it. Then PHYSICALLY go out and do something that demonstrates to God, that you’re fixing it.

What? Do what? (Johnny didn’t quite get that.)

(Mom continued.) Honey, everything can be fixed through your imagination. Because the Earth is three-dimensional, fixing things always requires some form of action on your part.

…And that’s where intent comes in. (Dad interrupted.)

Intent? (Johnny’s eyes scrunched the skin of his forehead together.)

Son, intent is nearly everything. It’s the motivation and reason behind all of your actions. Whenever you move, you’re intending something to happen and hopefully, you want it to happen the way you INTENDED. (Dad really wanted to drive that point home.)

I don’t get it.(Johnny was on that space ship just a cruisin’.) I certainly didn’t intend on you guys leaving me behind, alone… all by myself… without you. 

Son, (Dad reached over to touch his son’s shoulder.) you can’t intend what you have no control over. I’m speaking now of YOUR intentions. How do you intend on living now? What do you intend to do about it? And most importantly, how SINCERE will your intentions be? And in this case, sincerity is everything. (Dad took back his teaching tool.)

But, how can I be sincere about doing something I’ve never done before? How the heck can I even have a clue about what’s coming, if I haven’t already experienced it? (Johnny wondered if there were any docking ports in Colorado.)

Son, do you remember our vacation to Navajo Lake, where you learned how to backstroke? (Dad’s quick at making connections.)

Yeah? 

You seemed to do it quite effortlessly once you understood what you had to do. 

Well yeah, it was EASY. I mean, you know how I love to swim. 

But you’d never done it before. How the heck did you even have a clue about what to do? 

C’mon Dad, you know. 

Know I don’t. (Dad was just a grinnin’.)

Well I mean, I love to swim. It just seemed to come real easy. I already understood that all I had to do was keep my head above water, so what else is there? 

I agree. What else is there?

Huh? (That caught Johnny off guard.)

Johnny, it came easily and effortlessly because you loved it! Your intention was based completely upon that perspective – YOU LOVED IT. Do you think everybody learns how to backstroke that quickly? 

No way! Remember that one guy that kept spittin’ water like a whale? (Johnny was laughing.)

Yes, I do and he only did it twice… or was that three times? Anyway, sincere intent springs from 

your love of doing whatever you’re intending. 

You mean the more I love it the easier it gets? 

What do you think?

Seems to make sense to me. Drummin’ kinda’ came pretty easy and so did science and well, just about everything else for that matter. I really do love to learn. Gee Dad, you mean all I have to do is love what I’m doing and I can DO ANYTHING? (Docking port found.) 

Son, the degree of love you have for something is directly related to the sincerity in the intent of whatever it is you’re trying to do. (Dad just loves to pass wisdom onto his son.)

Wow, so how do I learn to love everything, so I can DO everything? (Time to take-off.)

Gain a perspective where everything that’s yours, is your FAMILY. All of your material stuff and any pets that you may care for; think of them as your family – like brothers and sisters. Give them names, or better yet, ask them what their names are. Once you identify with them by name, you can love them. Same goes with people, treat them all like family.  And nature, too.

But if I do that, somehow or another I’ll be made responsible for everybody and everything, just like I ALWAYS am. And I don’t want to do that anymore. (Johnny always hated that.)

Son, you’re only responsible for your actions and re-actions, nothing more. If you allow yourself to be made to feel guilty, you’ll no longer be acting, but re-acting to those folks who are manipulating you into that guilt. God made everyone and we all have a line back to the same Source. Responsibility isn’t acting through guilt, but sincere intention. That ways, you’ll always be in power of your own actions and not responding like a puppet to another person’s emotions in a predictable way.

(Dad continued speaking with great love in his heart and wind in his lungs.) Johnny, when you look at every person and every "thing" as a member of your own personal family, you can come to love them for who they are, NOT what you want them to be. This will help you to finally see that YOU NEVER OWNED THEM TO BEGIN WITH – none of ‘em. Everything owes its existence to God Almighty and thankfully, that includes US. Please don’t ever forget that. Gain a perspective of service through opportunity, rather than one of mandatory obligation through guilt. See yourself as a steward, not as an owner. Work WITH things, instead of against them, or worse, SEPARATE from them. 

Son, what you’re trying to fix with your hands, may very well be the thing you need to fix with your heart. (Truer words were never spoken.)

(Dad continued on a little bit more.) Take the opportunity to love and leave the misery to everyone else. Slow down and move through life with AWARENESS using sincere intent. Learn to love everything and then let it all go. It’s the only way. (Dad surely loves his son.)

(Mom meanwhile, finds that waiting for her husband to finally stop talking is as irritating in this dimension as it was on Earth!) Are you done now? Can I finish?

Uhm, sure… please. (Dad cleared his throat and motioned for Mom to continue.)

(Mom continued.) Honey, visualize whatever it is that’s wrong with you, as being fixed BY YOU, through the power of Light and the Love of Jesus that God has given you.

Has given us all. (Dad quickly added, then looked back towards Mom.)

(Mom continued.) Then do something towards that goal and watch what happens. (Then Mom warned.) But don’t ever lose your imagination, because if you do, you won’t be happy anymore. (Mom has such a beautiful smile.)

Okay Ma, I won’t forget – always use my imagination, so I won’t lose it. Wow, this is really great!

(Johnny was awestruck at the scenery.) Is this where you guys live, in the Rockies? (Surely this must be heaven!)

Sometimes. (Dad smiled.) Sometimes we stay at our beach house on Pebble Beach. (Big smile, now.)

You guys live on Pebble Beach and play golf every day? (Somehow this was sounding a bit too good to be true.)

Yep. But your mom insisted that we follow only one Rule though – no score worse than double bogey. You oughta’ see some of the shots she’s made!

(Mom defended herself quite admirably.) Hey! You’ve hit some real humdingers yourself there, bub. (Then she delivered a precisely placed elbow rocket-shot to Dad’s ribs, making him bend slightly.)

You’re right. (Dad reluctantly admitted, joining Mom’s toothy grin.) She’s right.

Mom, Dad it’s so good to see you again. Will I see you every night? (Johnny begged with a spark of hope.)

For a little while, maybe. (Dad spoke softly.) Johnny, it’s about time for you to go back, but before you do, there’s one more thing you’ll need to know.

What’s that? (Johnny half-said, feeling like he was soaring with the eagle he was watching, far above the rocky cliffs.)

Look to the heavens. (Dad pointed up.) Astronomical events are about to take place that will send unprecedented amounts of light unto the Earth. Now Johnny, the Earth can’t accept all that light on Her own and NOT be physically changed. You’ll be needed to ground some of that light – you and a few million others. If you can CONNECT with enough "friends of light," people like you who are ready to bring THEIR OWN light into the darkness, the Earth’s people will adjust in harmony with their planet.

(Dad spread his arms out wide.) If you can SOMEHOW adjust, you’ll create a new possible future for the Earth, one that will contain much more love, peace and joy than was EVER predicted! Do you see? Can you see your INCREDIBLE importance? (Dad was acting like the Broncos just won ANOTHER Super Bowl.)

(Suddenly Johnny found himself transported off the Earth, standing and looking directly away from it. He saw the sun and the moon and seven planets all in a straight line across the solar system. The massive orbs were acting like huge power generators, sending their beams of light surging from one heavenly body to another, all intending their way to Earth. As the massive bolts of light rocketed their way from body to body, they intensified, growing even brighter and more magnificent. Then Johnny saw the most intense light he’d ever seen penetrate straight through him and explode as it hit the Earth below. Suddenly, darkness fled like crumbs from a table, people became neighbors again and everyone finally began remembering why they all came here in the first place.)

(Just then, Mom touched Johnny’s heart and whispered…) Honey, that’s where all of that light comes from – right there. We love you.

What the… (Johnny woke up in a start. Then he remembered…) Okay Ma, it’s all right here. (As Johnny pointed to his heart. Then he closed his eyes and imagined that a long-standing pain in his foot was actually a small campfire. Johnny loved his foot and he told it so. Then he laid his hand over the spot and imagined rainbow waterfalls of light flowing from his palm, into the fire in his arch. He imagined that the waterfall of light dowsed the flames and healed his foot. Then he opened his eyes and repeated everything he’d just visualized. Then he stood up and walked.) Holy cow, it really works! Thanks, God. 

(Johnny crawled back into bed and began thinking of his whole life as a wandering highway. ‘Wow, what a long, strange trip it’s been.’ As he reviewed his trip, he noticed at certain times, parts of himself would go flying off into the distance. Initially, it seemed rather weird to see such a thing, then his wisdom settled in. He knew these “discarded aspects” of himself represented some kind of baggage in his life that he NEEDED to get rid of, in order for him to continue on – maybe even some old thought patterns, too. Anyway, Johnny started feeling lighter and happier.

He started realizing that everything he was angry at in his life was actually there for him to LOVE. All those people were simply being mirrors, reflecting back to Johnny all those things he didn’t love, things he knew, deep down in the end, he HAD TO love – this was his lesson, his purpose in life. Even Johnny realized that NO ONE, not even his parents could help him out with this one.

Then he had the worst thought of all…’Oh my God – what’s seven billion times fifty-one cents? Oh no, aren’t the rates going up in a month?!’ Wait a minute Johnny, YOU’RE DREAMING AGAIN. The math test isn’t for three more hours! Oh my God, get a grip on yourself. (Suddenly he realized the conversation he was having was with himself.)

(For the next couple of hours Johnny laid in bed, contemplating whether or not he would be talking to himself for the rest of his life and if it would be a good thing for his friends to get used to.) Probably not. 

           After Words

We, “the friends of light" are here at this time because you asked us to be here. You asked us to awaken you when the time was right. Well… TIME TO WAKE UP! Please look around you and find all those areas in your life where love is NOT, then create it – and please, start with YOURSELF.

Please don’t think you have to create love for others to see. Do it for YOU to see. Please don’t make anyone earn your love – give it away, FREELY. Please wake up. If you don’t, you’re going to be awfully disappointed when you remember that you had the chance to get your Stripe and chose against it.

And most importantly, please choose to not live in fear, but trust in the cradle of love. God knows who you are and never have you seen a more enthusiastic Cheerleader! The times ahead are going to require courage - not the courage to fight, but the courage to LOVE. Are you courageous enough? Do you have the strength to love unconditionally? This is the challenge. This is the goal. Share your light with the entire universe but do it without imposition. Show everyone how love acts in every moment of your life and remember from this day forward…

LOVE IS THE ANSWER.

Love changes the physical world.

Sincere intent is the key that opens all the doors.

You are a "child of the Universe."

Now forgive it all and go play.

May God bless you and keep you on your path.

Our Maker has hope for us all.

the friends of light 

           a request for love

just do it.

  don’t think about it first.

    don’t analyze it.

      don’t wonder.

        don’t go to your friends.

          don’t look for confirmation.

            don’t ask if it’s okay.

IT’S OKAY.

  just do it.

    don’t search for more examples,

      don’t look for more motivation.

        you can do it.

          don’t read about it anymore.

           don’t go looking to feel good anymore.

                                                                           check your ego at the door,

                                                                                                   and just do it.

                                 believe you can, and you can.

                                  know you can, and you will.

           Thank words

Thanks, Mom and Dad. Thank You for all those You sent to teach me—to help me grow. Thank You for Your service and Your Words. And especially, thank You (and your Son, my brother) for being selfless enough to take the time out of Your busy lives, to save mine.