Parables of Nature

Parables of Nature is one of the girls' school books. We have been reading one story about once a month for quite sometime. It is a unique book, in that, it is full of short stories about morals, but, using nature to tell the tales. The General Thaw and The Law of Wood are just two such titles of the stories within. It was written about 150 years ago by a wife of a minister, Mrs. Alfred Gatty.

Today, we finished one of the best stories, by far. The title was Kicking. It was about three wild horses who were caught. And the advice of the older, tame horses who occupied the same barn. The essence of the story is this, we all have masters of some sort or other. Someone whose laws/ orders must be obeyed. We can choose to kick every time we are asked to do something we don't want to do, thereby training ourselves to respond in a most selfish manner most of the time. Or, we can submit to the authority placed over us and learn to have a most happy and joyful life.

I think that is one of the most important lessons that I want to instill in my children. The importance of obedience. Even when they don't want to. Especially when they don't want to. It is important for obedience in a family, it is important for obedience in a job, it is important for obedience in school, it is important for obedience in society, most importantly is the obedience we give to God. I could go on and on, listing all the ways that obedience is a huge part of life. Every one's life.

I don't want my children to kick. I want them to humbly accept whatever challenge is placed in front of them. I believe disobedience is a habit just like any other. The more you practice it, the more it becomes your natural response, to just about anything.

In the story, one of the wild horses just refuses to be obedient to his master. At first, it was because he was being trained for riding. But, eventually, because he kept on kicking, when his sweet young owner, commanded him to do something he didn't feel like doing, he threw her off his back. The pretty, young little girl that did nothing but love him, give him food and pamper him was laying on the ground, at his feet. He had kicked, bucked authority for so long, it was just his natural habit, even though he would rather have had more control. "Those who indulge themselves in kicking at all, will sometimes kick when they would give worlds to forbear."

The story resonated with me in such a huge way. As I neared the end of the story, I had tears in my eyes as I read the end to my girls. It was such a perfect story on what I want my children to know about life. "Happy the colts who learn submission without a lifetime of personal struggle." I could not have thought of anything else so profound to get my point across about obedience. I think I am going to copy the above sentence, on a huge piece of paper, and leave it laying around the house . . .