People often ask if I sheltered my children. I ran across the following piece on this subject and I think it answers the question very well.
"Do you recommend the importance, as
some do, that you don't shelter your child from all the many questionable
things in our culture, and don't keep the child from "a knowledge of the
world"?
Yes; but of what "world"? -- For that is a large name which covers many different things.
Do you mean the crowd of contemporaries and peers on the same level with him, his equals or inferiors in principle and character, who by their tendencies and habits vote into existence the customs and trends amid which he is to live?
Don't be afraid to scorn so poor of an ambition. But rather, let him grow familiar with an older and a better "world" than this; let him learn of men of grander stature, who constitute that honor and luster of history.
Men who will show him how small and limited is the enclosure of his current culture, and make him aware of the high and noble men and women of the past; who will kindle in him a respect for himself and the opportunities that his very nature allows him; and he can enhance that nature if he learns of the wise and holy men of the past; and he will feel a touch of shame if he allows himself to be unworthy of their society and kindred.
Those minds above him, the spirits of patriots and saints, martyrs of truth, apostles of righteousness, --- these are the "world," and the "knowledge" of which he should learn and if he excels in these principles, he will become noble and strong, though it's certainly no passport into popularity, and supplies no key to the slang of self-indulgence and foolishness of our day. James Martineau, Mother Teresa on the streets of Calcutta.
Yes; but of what "world"? -- For that is a large name which covers many different things.
Do you mean the crowd of contemporaries and peers on the same level with him, his equals or inferiors in principle and character, who by their tendencies and habits vote into existence the customs and trends amid which he is to live?
Don't be afraid to scorn so poor of an ambition. But rather, let him grow familiar with an older and a better "world" than this; let him learn of men of grander stature, who constitute that honor and luster of history.
Men who will show him how small and limited is the enclosure of his current culture, and make him aware of the high and noble men and women of the past; who will kindle in him a respect for himself and the opportunities that his very nature allows him; and he can enhance that nature if he learns of the wise and holy men of the past; and he will feel a touch of shame if he allows himself to be unworthy of their society and kindred.
Those minds above him, the spirits of patriots and saints, martyrs of truth, apostles of righteousness, --- these are the "world," and the "knowledge" of which he should learn and if he excels in these principles, he will become noble and strong, though it's certainly no passport into popularity, and supplies no key to the slang of self-indulgence and foolishness of our day. James Martineau, Mother Teresa on the streets of Calcutta.
1 comment:
Very interesting. Best wishes
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