When I was quiet.

"They didn't see me when I was quiet."

That's what my five-year-old said.

I picked him up from school and as usual, asked him how his day
went. I often ask him what he did during the day.

"I got my name put on the board for talking," he said.

The teachers try to be strict about maintaining discipline.
It's a good thing. Even though they can't use the paddle
anymore as they did in my day, they do the best they can with
the techniques they are allowed to use.

If your name is on the board, you can't play during recess.

You can't get on the swings, the slide, or play any of the
sports. If your name is on the board, you're grounded.

"I got my name on the board, but they didn't see me when I was
quiet so I couldn't get it off."

Remember the last speeding ticket that you got?

They didn't see you when you were going slower and traveling at
a reasonable speed. Down the hill and in a hurry and here comes
the blue lights.

They didn't see you when you were quiet!

The boss catches you just when you doze for a second (well maybe
longer than a second) after diligently working all day.

They didn't see you when you were quiet.

Your wife catches your eyes wandering as you admire the
architecture of an elegant building that just happens to have a
shapely female in front of it.

They didn't see you when you were quiet.

Why doesn't the world take into account all of the times that
you were quiet?

Why do you suffer so long for a moment's indiscretion?

How can a few minutes take an eternity to make up for?

Because of one of life's simple principles,
it's a lot easier and faster to mess up than to clean up.

Harsh words uttered in five seconds can damage a relationship
for five years.

All of us are still in school.
We still have teachers.
We still pass or fail tests.
There are still paddles in one form or another
and there is still the board.

With many of the things in our lives,
we simply need to slow down and be quiet.

That way we won't miss playtime.

I didn't write this,
I wish I had.

I stopped by work this morning for a few minutes. I work in a middle school and got there before the day began. As I was walking down the hall I heard the following announcement: "Faculty, I want you all to be thinking code red today." Well, my kids drink code red, but I knew she wasn't refering to that. There was going to be a lock down drill at some point today. This is the first such drill we have had in the three years I have been there. The faculty was scurrying around with their red notebooks reviewing what needed to be done. I cannot tell you how it saddened me to think this sort of thing is necessary. And then I thought about the upcoming elections and realized it made sense. Do you suppose our parents and grandparents felt the same way when air raid drills were started? I remember having those drills in elementary school; man am I that old? I always thought it was stupid for the boys to protect the girls. What use was a bunch of girls with no boys around? At that time I didn't realize that no one would be of use if there was an air raid. I can't wait until my son gets home from school today to find out how it went, how long it lasted and how everyone reacted.