Dear Dennis,

When I read your letter I was reminded of this report I wrote in December 1998. I, also, share your sentiments.--Jana

The Thrill Report #120498 Who's Looking Out For You?

Not to touch The Earth, Not to see The Sun, Nothing left to do, but Run, run, run, Let's run.... --The Doors, Not To Touch The Earth Waiting For The Sun

Yes, let's run. Bolt. Flee. Put the pedal to the medal and high-tail it outta here! The pace is in high-gear to turn The Earth into an anthill.

Have you noticed that everyone's working, working, working? Have you also noticed that they are doing it in rooms with computer monitors instead of windows? (Some have even lost their heads entirely to computer screens.) Now add to this the latest Sony television set that replicates a window; the latest detergents engineered to smell like "fresh" outdoors; the warning not to drink tap water; the threat of skin cancer from The Sun; the mobs of ghetto-graduates swarming the mean streets with guns and no futures; and the silver screen grinding morality into the dust by portraying The Beautiful People having it all by lusting after money, power and sex. From this perspective life in an anthill might be the better option.

While you are working, working, working, what do you think is going on in the world? While you spend your days wrapped up in the affairs of your boss, who is keeping an eye on the things that are important to you? Who is in charge of world peace? Who is monitoring the air you breathe? Who is testing the water you drink? Who is ensuring your food supply? Who is taking care of your children? I think you have taken your eye off the ball and it is about to hit you right square in the head.

While you are spending your time worrying about all the minutiae your company pays you to worry about, the things that you should be worrying about, the really important things in your life, are in the hands of "others". Who are these "others"? What qualifies them to be looking out for your interests? Are they looking out for your interests?

Do you have any idea what your child's life is like each day?

About a month ago I was driving home in the rain. When I passed a group of children something about the scene disturbed me. I didn't know why. I tried to pull over but I couldn't, there was no place to park. I drove on until I could make a right turn. Then I turned around and was caught in traffic. It was after 5:00 PM. I finally got back to the place where the children had been but they were gone. I went through the traffic light and on a sudden impulse I pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store. I parked and got out of my car. That's when I noticed one of the children in the bushes nearby. He was down on his hands and knees crawling around on the ground. It was pouring rain and he didn't even have a jacket on. I walked over to where he was. He didn't hear me approach, he was sobbing so loud and talking to himself. I couldn't make out what he was saying. "What's the matter?" I asked. He looked at me with tears and rain pouring down his face. "I can't find my glasses," he cried.

"Don't worry," I assured him, "I'll help you find them." I asked him to tell me what had happened. He told me his friend had taken them and thrown them in the bushes and he couldn't go home without them. He began crawling around frantically again.

"Wait," I said to him, "let's start all over. Now where were you standing when he took your glasses." I wanted to help him to calm down first so we could approach the problem constructively. He stood up and showed me. "Where did he throw them?" I asked. He pointed to a place that was different from where he had been looking. "Come on, let's look around there." I found them immediately. There were very thick. He quickly put them on.

He told me he had to go back to the school to get his jacket and backpack. He was soaking wet. I asked him if he wanted me to walk to the school with him. He said no, it was OK. He thanked me and rushed off.

As I watched him go my heart ached for him. I thanked God that I had listened to my feelings when I passed that scene on the street. I thanked God that I kept on it until I found him. I thanked God that I was there to help him. From the way the little boy spoke, he sounded like he was afraid to go home without his glasses as if this wasn't the first time it had happened.

As I drove home I wished I could be everywhere a child needed someone. I wondered if the little boy's parents would ever know about the torment their child had been through that day. Most likely they were too wrapped up in the minutiae of their jobs to even notice.

A child needs privacy but not a private life.

Your child is more valuable than all your possessions. Would you let strangers walk into your house when you're not home? Why would you let strangers have access to your child? What do you really know about the school your child attends? What do you really know about the teachers? What do you know about the children your child is surrounded with every day? What kinds of families do they come from? These are very important questions to ask yourself. You must not take anything for granted when it comes to your children. You must not sacrifice them just to have a bigger something, or a fancier whatever, or more of a whatnot.

Your children, your family, your fresh air, your clean water, your wholesome food, a safe world, are the real treasures in life. Do not trade them for more, bigger, better. There is no such thing.

Jana Janus The Rogue Butterfly Scribe in the Ancient Language of Thrill