'In the end, only kindness matters' - Jewel

The younger generation these days are often portrayed (sometimes justifiably so) as self-absorbed, spoilt little heathens, with a grossly distorted perception that merely having a pulse guarantees you success, wealth and status in the world.  Hardly a glowing reference!

Today, though I was both humbled and relieved to observe a ‘member’ of this group extending kindness and good will to others.  I need to remember not to paint them all with the same tarnished brush.  Generalisations are almost never helpful. 

I was at one of my Elementary Schools, having lunch with the 4^th grade class.  Japanese school lunches are fabulous if you discount their high caloric content!  Who would’ve thought that a bowl of plain white rice could be so spitefully deceptive?  

One of the boys had asked if after lunch I would play Dodgeball with them. Japanese kids go mental over this game!  I reluctantly agreed but my reservations are valid for two reasons.  Number one, I don’t know the rules, although I pretend to and number two, I have visions of getting hit in the face, and dropping ungracefully like a felled tree to the ground, only to be swarmed by little children with their grubby little hands poking and prodding me, while the little boy who threw the ball is sobbing inconsolably in the corner of the playground, waiting for the authorities, wracked with guilt for having killed the teacher.

So while pretending to play Dodgeball, I witnessed several times, the kindness of a 6^thgrade boy for a shiny, new 1^st grader.  How that little body managed to not get trampled on is anyone’s guess.  Japanese children are small anyway but this itsy bitsy scrap of a child looked like he still needed to be swaddled and pushed around in a pram. 

There are two teams in Dodgeball with several rock melon sized balls being thrown about between them.  A line is crudely drawn in the dirt with an obliging foot, to separate the two teams. The aim is to catch the ball on the full or to stop it (in one movement) with your knees.  If you can’t do either, try and ‘dodge’ it.  Whoever has a ball, tries to throw the ball in such a way, that the receiving side cannot catch or stop it.  You’re out if you drop the ball, are hit by the ball, or like me, simply get tired.  That’s the way I understand the game to be governed anyway.  I was impressed to see that many of the kids could throw a ball with both power and accuracy and thankfully my face was not an intended target.   

So I’m standing in the middle of the playground watching this game that I don’t really understand and I see this 6^th grade boy comfortably catch a ball.  Instead of throwing it back he hands the ball off to a small 1^st grade boy, who has largely been ignored by everyone else.  His face lights up, as he runs awkwardly to the line before dispensing the ball to the opposing side.  The throw was hardly spectacular, but you get that when the ball weighs more than you do.  Not knowing what else to do, he quietly retreats to the back.  The 6^th grade boy walks over to him and appears to be instructing him on the rules of the game (if only I could speak Japanese).  The 1^st grade boy quietly nods and the 6^th grade boy pats him on the back.  A few minutes later, a ball flies through the air towards the 6^th grader and the 1^st grader immediately runs to him with arms wide open.  The 6^th grader passes the ball to him again, and this time, with a little more confidence, the 1^st grader runs back up to the line and releases the ball in a throw that only a mother could be proud of.  I thought to myself, what a lovely thing this young boy is doing for an even younger child.  It’s not his brother, I checked.  I have to say Japanese kids are very well behaved and well mannered.  Of course there is the odd tantrum and tears that you would expect in human beings still so young and immature, but on the whole, they are pretty good.  Perhaps it’s a testament to Japanese culture which promotes respect for oneself and others.  It is nice to see. 

I know it may seem like a small thing to write about, but in all honesty, the way the world is going these days, maybe we do need to start ‘sweating the small stuff’ again.  Well the good stuff at least.