Guardians of Our Children:

By Rahasya Poe

We are the guardians of our society. What does that really mean and imply? In today’s world, it means much more than in any other era. It embraces economic principles, under which we have a tendency to enslave not only Third World countries, which is obvious, but also ourselves, which is less obvious. Much corporate profit is siphoned from the top at the executive levels. Corporate CEOs are given multimillion dollar bonuses while thousands of workers get laid off. Being a guardian of society also addresses the many environmental issues of our time in which we need to look many generations ahead to see the effect of our decisions today. But more to the point of this article is the fact that we are the guardians of our children’s future, and of their children’s after them.

When we once stood on the distant shores, looking off to the horizon and thinking the earth was flat, there were those who stood on higher ground and noticed that the tops of ships’ masts disappeared last over a curved horizon, which indicated we just might live on a sphere. History has shown us that when a new truth is first spoken, it is often seen as a blasphemy and a disruption in the accepted order of things. With this in mind (which should be an open mind), we will continue.

As we look off into the horizon of our reality, we can see discrepancies in our “flat logic.” Visionaries and some scientists are usually the first to see this because they stand on that higher ground, unbounded by outdated beliefs. I would like to write about how we see our relationships to our children. In case you haven’t noticed, statements such as “Children should be seen and not heard” and “Spare the rod, spoil the child” no longer work, if they ever did. With this patriarchal attitude, we have created a world in which we no longer like what we see or hear from our children. So I’m joining the ranks of adults who are speaking up for them because I don’t like what I’m seeing or hearing from some adults.

I was recently amazed “for the lack of a better word” when I read in an Associated Press report that through the past decade or so there have been research projects using foster kids to test high-potency HIV drugs. Of course there were supposed to be safeguards, but the truth is that there weren’t.

We all know of situations that are so common that we have started to dismiss them from our consciousness…situations such as overcrowded classrooms, underpaid teachers, schoolyard shootings, drugs in elementary schools, and the list goes on. I’m not even going to get into ADHD and the Ritalin factor because we all, or at least I hope we all, know that there’s something really wrong with our system of drugging our kids as a first line of treatment. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve seen instances in which this seemed to be viable for some kids. But, being a former drug counselor, I’ve also seen the reality of where this practice ends up a good part of the time.

So, what to do? How about this . . . start listening to the kids? I know this idea may be blasphemous for some of those out there who come from the “old school,” but I’m inviting you to come to higher ground and look off into the horizon and imagine for a moment that maybe, just maybe, the world is not what it seems from the lowlands of everyday life and old patterns of beliefs.

We are on the edge of what could be seen as global collapse by some, or global transformation by others. One thing is for sure. Our worldview is not going to stay the same as it’s been for centuries. And the exciting part is that even though this sounds a little like some “new age hippy vision by someone with no academic education” (to borrow a phrase from Amit Goswami, Ph.D., who wrote The Quantum Doctor and appeared in What the Bleep Do We Know ?), it’s a shared vision with some of the most brilliant, innovative, and creative minds in the world.

So what are the kids saying? One kid who lives in Paradise said it well in the local magazine, VOICE. He wrote that when growing up he was told to work hard and study, get good grades, and everything would come to him . . . it didn’t. He watched the kids in school who were bullies get far more attention from teachers than he did by working hard and getting good grades. He noticed that the school heroes were the rough and aggressive guys on the football field who could smash other kids into the ground. After reading his letter I felt empty, maybe because he was reaching out, wondering if anybody were listening. For what it’s worth, Jake, we hear you (www.YouthOnTheRidge.com, January 2005, “The Issue of Popularity”).

It’s also interesting that topics such as the presence of Indigo Children are hitting mainstream society in newspapers such as USA Today (June 1, 2005, “Indigo Kids”). Of course, it’s always prudent in these times to maintain some level of discernment, but never close your mind or your hearts to what’s staring us in the face. And when you think you’re not having good communication with your kids, think a little deeper because maybe you just don’t like the message they’re communicating.

Information and resources are available to parents and children who want to learn more. One website with an excellent directory of services and organizations you can download is www.valleyoakchildren.org (Oroville, CA). So do your own research and talk with your kids, give them a hug, be present, and let them know that you’re there for them. And when you don’t have all the answers, let them know the truth, which is that we are all sharing the grandest of mysteries called “life.” Also keep in mind that a home is much more than a structure with a 30-year mortgage. It’s a place where the soul of the family lives. Together we can all create a better world through better information, conscious attention to the problems, and of course, love.