Fact vs. Fiction?

A pair of glassy eyes studied me. No need to feel intimidated just because it’s the bustling city, right?  I stared back from the security of my car.  In the end, I won the stare down contest and the little squirrel scampered away. How interesting that once I spotted the critter watching me, I assumed it had horrible plans to chase me up the street. The citified squirrel probably came in contact with people more often than its skittish suburban relatives, hence its lack of fear toward humans. It probably just wanted a handful of nuts. How often do you jump to conclusions before weighing the evidence? What do you think about this scene?

                                         http://youtu.be/ECbvHQowmhE

Someone from the video commented about how the squirrel was a juvenile and may have lost its parents. Does that change your perception of the squirrel’s behavior? Maybe the little guy simply wanted to move indoors for warm shelter and gentle belly rubs here and there. We can’t take everything we see and hear as gospel. How do you filter information to ferret out the truth? 

Nothing’s Wrong with Curly Fries

Have you listened to kids sing songs? It’s funny when they make up phrases and change the lyrics to whatever the words sound like to them. Adults do it, too and unless someone corrects us, we’ll continue singing nonsense for years. There’s a gospel song on the radio by Mary Mary called “Go Get It.” When my kids hear it, they’ll sing the right words until they get to the song’s bridge. Now the real lyrics include the words “qualified, mercy multiplied and certified.” For some reason, my kids insert “curly, swirly fries.” How does food make sense in the context of that song? Oh sure, people can have strong cravings for a good basket of curly fries, but I doubt that has anything to do with the “go get it” in this song.  

Twenty years ago the distinction between right and wrong felt as unmistakable as the difference between black and white. With our changing societal norms, grey is the new black and white and  the culture is redefining the rules of ethical behavior. Maybe that’s why people respond like this when asked about values and ethics:        

                                       http://youtu.be/ZIaHxC7BT0A

In last week’s post, I asked you what kids should learn in school. I’d put critical thinking skills on the list because it’s never too early to learn to defend our views of right vs. wrong. Regardless of how our culture changes, what’s the one thing everyone will always believe is right?