You know, sometimes it seems really hard to live by your principles.
My husband and I both quit teaching and have since had great difficulty in finding gainful employment. We didn’t quit public school teaching on a whim. We quit because we believe it is wrong. I was once again confronted with the notion of returning to teaching. Well, I should say, I was told my husband needed to go back to teaching because it was “good money and he’s got children to support. He’s been given a gift and should use it.” Well, there are more ways to use the gift of teaching than going into school education.
Then the topic of conversation turned to Mel Gibson. I don’t follow this kind of news so don’t really know much about what is going on. But I was told that his girl friend (not his wife) is suing Mel for 18 million dollars. That’s a lot of cash. So I jokingly said that I should date Mel Gibson. They all looked at me in surprise. But why? It’s money, isn’t it. And I could use the money. Ha ha ha. “Would you really do that?” they asked. No, I wouldn’t do that because I don’t want to make money doing something that I think is wrong.
I don’t know if they got the connection to teaching and dating Mel Gibson just because there’s money in it. Think about it this way:
A man is a contract killer. I mean, he’s got skills. He’s the best in the trade. He makes good money to support his family. They live a comfortable life. But one day he says to his wife, “You know, I’ve been having doubts about being a contract killer. It isn’t what I thought it would be and I think it is wrong.” So they agree to change their life style and start living a life that is good and right. But he’s having a hard time finding work that will support his family. He’s got resumes out all over the place but the best he can do is flip burgers somewhere. Then his parents come to the man and tell him that he needs to do something about his life. He’s been given a gift and he should use it. He’s got a family to support. You need to get back into murdering people.
What!? That would never happen. And that is my point. No one with any ethics or morality would encourage you to do something wrong just because of the money – just because you need to feed your family. Maybe you think I’m being a bit drastic. Assassination is comparable to the school system! Preposterous. But in my view it is. One kills the body, the other kills the spirit, inspiration, creativity, and free-thinking ability of children. Now why on earth would I support that!
Yes, we have been given the gift of teaching. But you know what… we still use that gift everyday, just not in a professional school teacher capacity.
And that brings me to something else. (I haven’t had a lot of time to write lately, but I’ve had a lot going on inside my head.)
Most ordinary people won’t take paradise even if it is offered to them on a silver plate.
My husband and I feel we have a calling to start this farm. Yes, it is something we feel we MUST do. And we’ve been sharing this idea with a lot of people. Most of them think we’re crazy. (and talking about gifts, we would be able to use ALL our gifts on this farm).
I was telling my husband the other day that maybe the reason we don’t have the farm yet, is because we haven’t given enough people the opportunity to join us. If we are given free will, but have no opportunity to make a choice then what good is free will? So we’ve been sharing our dream with people.
Freewill isn’t genuine if there are no choices.
We offered my parents an instant retirement with a life of fishing and quilting or whatever they wanted to do. Free food for the rest of their lives and the opportunity to get out of their high property tax home and instead spend every day with their only grandkids. They wouldn’t have to worry about anything. But they wouldn’t take it. I’m getting ready to retire in five years. If you save and invest maybe then you’ll be able to buy a home. (I don’t even want to get into economics and the state of the economy, inflation, and depletion of the dollar. They got their home because my brother died and they inherited the life insurance).
Then there’s a friend of ours, who loves the idea. Wants to be a part of it. Gets really excited whenever we talk about it. But won’t put in any effort to help it get started. “I know someone who lives on some farm land but doesn’t know what to do with it.” Crickey! Why don’t you introduce us and see if we can work something out! But he’s too wrapped up in his life to bother with the farm.
Then our old neighbors. They were all set to join us, but he got an opportunity to go back to school. Well, I can’t pooh pooh that. It’s a really good opportunity and he should take it. Maybe they’ll join us later when he’s all done. But at least they had the opportunity to make a choice.
Then my husband got to chat with an old friend of his from the RPR days. He’s all the way out in Philly, but now he’s got the opportunity to choose.
I’m not sure if this days writings are very coherent. I probably shouldn’t wait so long to get thoughts down in print. But one thing I do know is this: I don’t want to make money by doing something I think is wrong. AND (well, I guess it’s two things) Freewill isn’t genuine if there are no choices.
You said it!