"THE KINDERGARTEN OF GOD."
Life a great school--Man a child learning his lesson--Preparing for
higher grades--The game-task--What it all means--Things as they
are--The rules wise and good--Each task means something--Greeting the
Kindergartner.
I see Life as a great school--Man as a tiny child, learning his little
lessons, performing his little tasks, playing his little games,
enjoying his little pleasures, suffering his little pains,
disappointments, trials and sorrows.
I feel that we are in but the kindergarten stage of existence,
learning the first lessons of Life--fitting ourselves for the grander,
broader, fuller life in store for us. And I feel that this little
kindergarten experience will continue until we have learned its
lessons well--have firmly grasped the principles designed for our baby
minds. And I feel that when we have proven our ability to weave our
little mats--build our little blocks--draw our little pictures--mold
our little clay forms--sing our little songs--then, and not until
then, will we pass into a higher grade, where we will spell out the
lines of the Primer of Life, and acquire the elementary principles of
Cosmic Mathematics. And I feel that each little lesson must be
learned, thoroughly, before the next step is taken. And I feel that
every one of us must perform his own task--must memorize his own
lesson--before he can gain the experience--can profit by the knowledge
acquired in the performance of the task. We may be inspired by some
brighter pupil--be encouraged by the loving sympathy of some
fellow-scholar, but the task is _ours_ to perform, sooner or
later--and ours is the joy of accomplishment.
I believe that as some children, even whilst fascinated by the
game-task of the kindergarten, know that it is only a childish task
and not the _real thing_ of life, so may we come to a point, where,
whilst enjoying the constantly changing play of life, we will realize
that it is but the training for greater things, and important only
in that sense. The perception of this fact by the child need not
interfere with his interest in the game--need not prevent him from
feeling the joy of _doing_, creating, working, gaining new experiences;
nor need it prevent _us_ from playing the kindergarten games of
grown-up life with a zest and interest, not alone because we
realize that we are learning valuable lessons, but, yea, even from
the very excitement and joy of the game itself.
When we realize just what this view of Life means, we will find new
pleasures in everyday life--will learn to laugh with childish glee at
our little successes in molding the clay into the desired shape--in
the clever weaving of the mat. And we will learn to smile, through our
tears, if our little mat happens to tear in two--if our little clay
sphere drops to the floor and is shattered--if the hour's work is
destroyed.
And we will learn our little lesson of Love--of Comradeship. We will
learn by experience that if we lead the narrow, selfish life we will
miss the joy that falls to the lot of those who have learned to
express more fully the love-nature within them--we will find that Love
begets Love--that the love-nature, expressed, attracts to itself the
love in the hearts of our little playmates. We will find that the
child who carries within him the love for others, and expresses that
love, need never want for friends or companions, need never suffer
from loneliness, need never fear being left out in the cold. The true
Personal Magnetism of the child (and the grown-up) consists largely
of--Love, which never fails in its drawing power. And we will learn,
from bitter experience, the folly of the idea of separateness from our
little playmates--will know that the standing apart brings nothing but
sorrow to us. We will realize that selfishness brings nothing but
pain--that giving has its pleasures as well as receiving. And we will
learn something of Brotherhood, and its goodness--we will have the
True Democracy of the kindergarten impressed upon us. These lessons
(and others) we will learn well, before passing on.
We, like the child, often wonder what is the use of it all--fret over
our enforced tasks--chafe at the confinement--rage at the
restrictions, and, failing to comprehend it all, indulge in
complaints, protests, rebellion. And, like the child, we cannot expect
to understand the whyness of it all, certainly not until we pass
beyond the kindergarten stage of existence and reach the higher
grades.
When one begins to realize _what he is_--begins to be conscious
of the I AM--begins to know things as they are--he gradually learns to
appreciate things at their true worth, and, although not released from
the necessity of playing out his kindergarten game tasks, is able to,
practically, _stand aside and watch himself play them out_. He
knows that he is gaining knowledge--is mastering his lessons--is
living-out, and out-living, his desires--is acquiring and storing up
new experiences--but he values things only at their final worth, and
is not deceived by the apparent value of the moment. He begins to see
things in their proper relations. He does not take himself (or things)
too seriously. He enjoys the pleasure of the game--but he knows it to
be but the play and pleasure of the child--he laughs, but is not
deceived. He suffers, also, the sorrow, grief, disappointment,
humiliation and chagrin of the child-nature--but even though the tears
are falling he, _knowing_, smiles. He laughs with joy--with pain
he cries, but he knows--he _knows_. He enjoys the playthings,
gifts, rewards, but he knows them for what they are--he knows. He
plays the games with the children who do not know--and well he
plays--but he knows. His disillusionment spoils not the sport--he
plays on (for play he _must_), knowing, but enjoying. Yes, enjoying
_because_ of the knowing. He knows that the child-things are good--but
he sees them as but shadows of the Good to come. He knows that he
"cannot escape from his own good." And he knows that the Good is also
in store for his playmates (though they know it not) and, being full
of love, he rejoices.
He feels that the rules of the School are wise and good, and that,
though he cannot see it clearly now, INFINITE JUSTICE rules all,
as will in the end appear. He knows that promotion will be gained,
just as soon as earned. He knows that just as soon as he is able
to master a task, that task will be set before him--not a moment
before. And he knows that no task will be allotted him even one
moment before the possibility of its accomplishment.
He knows that he is being tested, trained and strengthened, day by
day--that every unpleasant and disagreeable task has an important end
in view. And he knows that every task placed before him is in
accordance with a Law that takes cognizance of his powers, failings,
capabilities, short-comings--that understands him better than he does
himself. He knows that the very allotment of the task is a guarantee
of his ability to perform it. He knows that within him are latent
powers, potential forces, hidden knowledge, which will well forth from
his sub-conscious mentality when bidden by the Confident Expectation
of Intelligent Faith.
And, knowing these things, he is filled with Courage--and presses
forth eagerly to the tasks of the day. And, knowing, he casts off all
Fear, Worry, Discouragement and Discontent, and, with the smile of
Love on his face and the joy of Faith in his heart, he greets THE
KINDERGARTNER with Confidence and Trust.