Two Children, Two Directions

I witnessed two events in recent days involving children. One profoundly uplifting, one profoundly disturbing.
I was walking from my home to the diner when I saw a little girl, maybe four or five years old, open the door and throw a plastic juice container out her front door onto the sidewalk, then slam the door. I made eye contact with her for a split second and I was amazed. There was no hint of regret for what she was doing in her eyes. She looked at me and proceeded to litter the sidewalk right in front of her home as if it was a perfectly normal occurrence.
This past Sunday I was privilged to witness the performance of a play called The Christmas Menorahs. I saw it at a temple in Montclair, NJ. It was a moving, hopeful, true story of a series of events that happened in Montana in 1993. A community came together to defeat the forces of hatred. It's as simple as that. The main players were children; educated, aware children who represent the best of what society has to offer. I watched in awe and prayed that my own children are growing up with this same kind of awareness. The play's humorous side focused on the differences between Jews and Christians and produced several full throated laughs. It was beautiful to watch the children execute their lines flawlessly and understand what they were demonstrating to the audience. The universal truths of love and knowledge can overcome any enemy, no matter how formidable. You only need to have the courage to display them for all to see and then it cannot be defeated. I wish every person elected to a position of responsibility could see this play. There would be less sadness in the world, less death, less hatred. What better Christmas present to give to the world than increased hope, especially in times like we face now.
I would like to think that the children in the play are more representative of the young generation than the child who is already jaded enough to throw trash out her front door. I hope the majority of parents are raising children to espouse the morals demonstrated in the play, rather than the callousness of that young litterer. Anytime I can see a display of the kind of awareness and maturity that a play like that brings out in children, I can look to the future with hope and believe that we will emerge from our present troubles a stronger, more moral nation. Therein lies our salvation. That is my Christmas wish for the world.