Author: Joel D Canfield

there is much discussion of late
about about other people’s fitness
who should decide
how things should be done
about, for instance, who should be allowed to marry
or allowed into, or out of, this or that country
or to rule this or that country
and, nearer to my heart, how math should be taught
don’t get me started
I’m not kidding
unless you want to spend the next hour on the natural beauty of algebra, trigonometry, and geometry, of conic sections and set theory and prime factorizations, on why new math as sacrificial lamb is the ignorant event of every decade,
don’t get me started

but I digress
where was I?
oh yes, discussions of other people’s fitness

there is a discussion of fitness missing here, though I admit it interests me not much more than those issues of alleged political import

is anyone discussing the fitness of those discussers to discuss?

I do not feel accurate spelling is vital to intelligent discourse
nor perfect grammar
these things change with time
and level of formality
and culture

this, though, I do consider vital to intelligent discourse:
intelligence
the capacity for abstract thought should rise from our heads like peacock feathers, enwreathing and enrobing us with glorious colorful shimmering light

and yet
half a century of being wrong has taught me to have another discussion
another factor far too often missing from intelligent discourse
and exponentially of more value than intelligence
it conquers misspelling and bad grammar
leaps ignorance in a single bound
and yes, it is faster than a speeding bullet and stronger than a locomotive
though, sometimes, it makes us loco in our motives
but applied correctly
meaning slathered liberally hither and yon, in every conversation
every discussion
all intelligent discourse
it smooths and softens, raises and refines
it quashes doubt and embellishes hope
it is cyclical, which is easier to do than to say
and it is infinite
and it is
love

Mommy, remember that one time, when we went to the circus?
Remember how I didn’t like their cotton candy but I’m pretty sure I still like cotton candy
Just not theirs
And remember how the fire eater wasn’t eating the fire that day, he was spitting it
And I laughed because spitting is funny
Okay, not really
(Yes, really)
And when he was done we all clapped and I went closer to see if maybe he did eat some fire but he was all done and when I turned around you and Daddy were lost
And I didn’t get scared.
Not much.
At first.
But you were lost for a long time and I started getting just a little bit scared. Not scared enough to cry. Just a little bit.
And then I found Daddy and you were with him and he picked me up and everything was okay
Except I sort of wanted to go home
And Daddy said sure, we can go home if you want, but if you think you might like to see the elephant in the big tent . . . and I thought if Daddy would hang onto me so he didn’t get lost again that would be okay.
And the elephant was fun.

Dude. Remember how lost you were on that hike?
I had to find a ranger to get us out of there.
You were so hungry we ate all the stew he had in his pot so he made more and I could hardly finish it.
He said, been lost long?
and you said three days
and I said liar it’s been a few hours, like right after sunrise
and he said sunrise was eight hours ago
and I said got any more of that stew?
He said he’d take us back to the campground in his jeep and we were there before it got dark and before he left he said here, take my card, this was sort of fun and if you ever want to see the best trails and not let your buddy get lost you guys give me a call and we’ll make a day of it.
I found the card this morning and wondered if you wanted to go hiking. With a professional guide I’ll bet even you can’t get lost.

Remember that time you felt all alone, and nothing was going the way you’d hoped, the way you’d expected?
Remember the panic, realizing you were so small?
And helpless?
Remember that time you felt lost, like you’d never find your way back, like the dark was coming and there was no hope of finding a light?
Remember how your Father picked you up and kept you safe?
Remember how He showed you where it was light and led the way there?
Do you forget, sometimes?
I know I do.
Help me remember.
And I’ll help you remember.
And someday, that’s all we’ll remember.
Remember that.