THOUGHT OF THE DAY

It is unfortunate that, as a society, we classify and assess one another on the basis of sex, age, and marital status when we have no control over the first two and the third is—let’s be frank—nobody else’s damn business. Does anyone else find such taxonomical methods wanting? Instead of such intrusive criteria, which are unrevealing and pointlessly divisive, and can only foster discrimination, w...ouldn’t it be refreshing, and a more useful measure of our citizenry, to encounter a job application or census questionnaire containing the following yes/no questions:

1. Do you notice the color of the sky each day?
2. Do you regularly tell another person or persons that you love them?
3. Do you seek opportunities to perform small (or large) acts of kindness?
4. Do you make conscious efforts to make the world a better place?
5. Do you explore and cultivate the talents you were born with?
6. Do you smile at and/or say hello to strangers?
7. Do you strive to learn something new every day?
8. Do you try to make friends with a person before judging his or her worthiness to be one?
9. Do you value and nurture your own physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual health?
10. Do you seek out, observe, and contemplate remarkable works in the arts and/or sciences?

If members of society confronted such questions on a regular basis, perhaps the world might become a kinder, happier and more beautiful place.