🏫 TREE 599: Jeff Gill – education questions the army

The thing I’m doing now is posting an updated series of autobiographical sketches I wrote in 2009–10.

8

Just before I finished fourth grade my parents told me next school year I would be going to school at home. That was weird. My friends who were just finishing fifth grade had spent the year telling me how fifth grade was the pinnacle of awesomeness. But it was not to be for me.

Somehow my parents made me feel that I was the pinnacle of awesomeness; that’s why they were going to teach me at home. That was nice of them. Turns out, the big reason was they didn’t like the some of the attitudes I was picking up from my classmates.

I think they made the right choice. I loved being home-schooled. And the quality of education that I got, except for science, was better than what my friends in public school got.

Most important, my parents encouraged my curiosity and instilled in me an enduring love of learning.

9

I was in very early double digits when I asked my dad, What if we’re wrong about all this stuff we believe? What if there isn’t actually a God? I don’t remember his answer was, but two things about it stuck with me. I didn’t find his answer satisfying, and he didn’t jump down my throat for asking. Thinking and questioning were definitely allowed. So was having the space to get the answer for yourself. I’m still questioning, still interested in finding out where I’m wrong.

10

At some point during my childhood, I announced in an offhand kind of way that I would probably join the army. My mother replied in a non-offhand kind of way that I certainly would not, that she had seen what the military does to people, that no son of hers would ever join the army.

She was influenced I’m sure by the action my uncle saw in Korea. And by the stupidity of the Vietnam conflict. My dad was drafted. Fortunately, he got to work with a computer in an office in Germany.

That conversation with my mother planted a seed that in the 2000s grew into a commitment to nonviolence. She gave me my first hint that there are different ways of thinking about conflict and patriotism

I must note that my commitment to nonviolence has never been seriously tested and that a few years ago at a Manic Street Preachers concert I punched a guy in the face because he was harassing my wife.

See what I did here?

When was the last time you discovered you were wrong about something and changed your mind? The more recent it was, the better.

Grow slowly
Jeff