. . .a perennial invitation to reinhabit our deepest decency . . . (Popova)
There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found — for when they placed it on his head, . . . (from Frosty the Snowman, popular Xmas song)
Truth. Respect. Responsibility. Compassion.
That’s how I’d make my Frosty the Snowman be — who I’d magically turn them into with that old silk hat. They wouldn’t have to be particularly clever or smart or cunning or handsome or rich or funny (although a sense of humor would be nice) or able to leap mountains with a single bound . . .
Truth. Respect. Responsibility. Compassion.
Decent. More than anything else, I would choose decency as a quality with which to endow my Snowman.
I was watching a news program with a friend last evening, unfortunately one where the intent of the news presented seemed aimed to validate the views of the listener, rather than to educate. As the interviewer talked loudly over his guest, I realized I was over being incensed as I usually have been in the past at such antics, and only felt terribly sad. As I turned to share my dismay and chagrin with my friend, I realized that they had seen nothing amiss.
It seems to me that some things have to matter: Truth. Respect. Responsibility. Compassion.
Decency.
But I also realized yet again that my “truth” in this situation was not how my friend perceived this situation at all. And so I reined in my desire to yet again rave on about bottom lines — that indeed there are some things that do matter. Don’t they? No matter how differently we see the situation, aren’t there some minimal standards for how we treat one another?
When I checked out the generally accepted definition for the concept of decency, I found: the ethical and moral measure to be applied as a benchmark for human behavior, which is based on a consensus in a social group or society, and on which expectations and assessment for human interaction are therefore based.
Okay. I guess I just gotta accept that I and my friend differ on what and how important these generally accepted “ethical and moral measures” that are “benchmarks” for human interaction are.
But you know what? My Snowman is not just gonna be a jolly, happy soul — they’re gonna be decent.
Truth. Respect. Responsibility. Compassion.
In fact, I’ve decided my snowman’s gonna look a lot like Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and in It’s a Great Life.
