Harmony School, 2000, Page 233

Description:	...all right/ Dan BacklerA Three Step ProgramBy Dan BacklerI remember a day not very long ago that I was staring out of my window. It was asunny, warm March day. The sun was shining, birds were singing moths and butterfliesplayed together in the tall grass. It was the picture of “alright.” A young boy, on his wayto school was cutting through our yard when a butterfly flew down and alit on his head.To this the boy, no more than seven or eight years old, responded, “Damn, bitch!” Ohyeah, everything’s going to be alright. In a way, though, this boy gave me a few ideas onsome simple steps to keep in mind to help everything become alright. I see this kid as amodel of how not to act.Step one:Watch your language.Some famous guy once said that people use profanity to describe thoughts that aretoo complex for them to describe using a limite vocabulary. A sure way to offend peopleand make people think your momma didn’t raise you right is to use such language.Step two:Be understanding.The boy in my story got mad at a butterfly for doing what butterflies do: land onpeople’s heads. If you understand where people (and insects) are coming from andappreciate their points of view and their behavior you will learn something about yourselfand about others.Step three:Don’t be lazy.The kid in my story was cutting through my yard, which is fine with me, but forpuposes of trying to make a point I use this to describe an aspect of my model of how notto act. I think a major step in things being alright is for people to become less lazy.Cutting through yards is like cutting corners in life. Not being lazy means picking thingsup that you knock over, going for a walk, not watching som much TV, reading a book,doing your homework, being patient, offering compliments, and being nice.I’m not saying this is easy or even that I do it. It’s just a way of living I wish morepeople would try.
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-harmony/id/2511
Collection:	Harmony School

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